Really And Truly
by Celestial Night
Summary: Really and Truly are a few short words that will subtly emphasize your meaning, giving it more strength and stamna...SetoSerenity. Chapter 15 is finally here!
1. Nice Of You To Drop By

Really And Truly

Chapter One: Nice Of You To Drop By

All right! I'm writing a fic about my favorite couple!!!! Seto/Serenity rock!!! Well, here's Chapter One.

*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity fingered with the pink and green flowered embroidery on her bed sheet. She often fidgeted when she was nervous.

Serenity sat with woe and worry on her bed and watched as her friend lingered around her room. 

Her friend, her best friend who enjoyed all that life had to offer. Her thrill-seeking friend. Her _best_ friend. 

Serenity smiled as her friend enjoyed the simplicity of the trinkets that lay around Serenity's room, such as the carousel unicorn, or the two ceramic teddy bears that played happily.

"How cute," her friend squealed as she came to a beautiful glass swan that laid on a corner of Serenity's nightstand. The majestic swan with its neck in a somewhat S shape and it's wings spread royally as if ready to take flight. The beautiful glass swan, although nothing more than a transparent statue, sparkled and glistened like a diamond.

"Where did you get this swan?" The girl asked, curiously as she picked it up ever so gently.

Serenity stared at the shape of the small swan in her friend's hands. 

That swan, it seemed so familiar, but...never mind. 

"*Moan* I-I don't know," she answered, but stopped to squint to try to release some of the pain that was building up inside of her. 

For Serenity, lately things hadn't been so clearly revealed...

She pressed harder against her headboard, and sighed heavily, once again.

Her friend immediately ceased fiddling with the glass swan, and looked up at Serenity. 

"What's wrong?" her friend asked, immediately recognizing the sigh. 

The girl with strikingly blue eyes and elegantly flowing white hair sat down across from Serenity on the bed, so now, she was sitting at the foot of the bed. 

Serenity, who had her back pressed intently on the headboard, sighed.

She looked up at the girl with tear-glistened eyes, "I-I don't know what to do; I'm really and truly confused," she breathed as she hung her head down to her knees which were put up to meet her chest.

"I've had all these dreams...and-"

"_Dreams_?" asked the girl, "Serenity, you have told me about your flashbacks and that you've had strange visions, but never _dreams_." 

The girl moved closer to Serenity. 

Serenity frantically shook her head, "These dreams...I've had them and they-they-and well..." Serenity just could not bring herself to say the words.

"And?" the white-haired girl asked in such a soothing and calm voice, "Serenity, you must tell me what's wrong; you know that I only have the best intentions for you," she explained. "I'd never do anything to hurt you." 

The blue-eyed girl looked Serenity over carefully. She jerked her head somewhat forward to indicate for Serenity to continue. 

Serenity gave a disapproving look at first. 

The girl gave her a sharp look, almost forcing her to confess her dreams. The look sent a message up Serenity's nerves telling her to admit to what she had dreamed. 

Serenity nodded in obedience, and she looked skeptically at the girl.

Actually, Serenity was more skeptic about whether or not the girl would believe her. 

"Well," Serenity started, "It all-well, the dreams all begin with this..." 

**********************LONG DREAM (Flashback)***********************

$*$*$*$*$*The Outer Wall Of The Kaiba Mansion$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity Wheeler hummed to herself as she walked on the wall with her arms outstretched like a tightrope walker. She had beautiful auburn hair that cascaded down her shoulders to her waist. Her slim, sixteen year old body delicately guiding her. Her wanderlust spirit was in control of her as she continued keeping her balance. A few months ago, none of the beauty of the world around her was visible to her isolated eyesight. But now, the world's colors were at her fingertips. Everything was tangible. All that was once ambiguous was now clear. Her deep hazel eyes were a distraction when you looked at her radiant face which illuminated every time she smiled.

She had been walking on this long, gray wall for what seemed like forever. She had just been passing and she decided to improve her coordination skills. That's how she ended up mocking a tightrope walker. For about two minutes, she had been stepping flawlessly with not the single threat of tripping.

"Hey Serenity, you're pretty good at this," she bragged to herself as she strode with pride. Then she decided to become a little more daring. "I wonder..." she thought to herself "Come on, Serenity, you can do it." and then with a huge gulp, she attempted something that she knew her brother would disapprove of: she did a cartwheel on the wall.

She placed her hands to the side, and exerted her weight to her right. This was the moment. Could she do it? We'll soon find out.

She exerted her weight, and VOILA! She nailed it! 

"HaHa, Serenity, I knew you could do it!" she complemented her self "That was awesome! Wait til Tea finds out!" Tea had been slightly annoying to Serenity lately. She just kept bragging about her dancing skills, and when she asked Serenity her favorite sport and Serenity answered gymnastics, Tea simply responded that "Serenity, no offense, but you must be a amateur compared to me." Serenity thought that Tea's ego would surely be deflated when she heard about this. When was the last time Tea did a cartwheel on a wall? 

But unfortunately, her foot landed in a little or rather pretty big groove in the wall. As soon as she had turned around to continue her little march, her foot lost balance, and she tripped.

CRASH!!!!! 

"Ohhhhhh, Serenity, that was pathetic!" she scolded as her moment in fame came to an end and she realized that she had landed on the other side of the wall. She looked like she had fallen over anime-style. She finally got up, and dusted herself off. Then she took a look around her, and was left in awe. She noticed a beautiful garden with all the flowers of the world, forming a beautiful rainbow of botanical joy. There was a serene aura to this place, so majestic. Roses riding the crisp green grass, heavenly sounds of water falling gracefully from the ponds that decorated this green masterpiece. All the flowers that she had ever seen, and more! It was....amazing.

"Who lives here?" she asked envying the occupant of the household. Then she noticed a BIG mansion in the distance behind the garden.

"I do, and on the contrary, I thought that your performance was done quite well," came a cold, sarcastic voice that Serenity knew all to well.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Serenity yelled to herself, afraid to look up at who she knew was there. 

There sat Seto Kaiba. Third place finalist in Battle City. In the corner of the garden enjoying a nice ice tea with a wedge of lemon adding extra flavor. He sat with a smirk on his face as he watched from his post under a beautiful ice blue parasol. Serenity found it hard to believe that Kaiba even had the time or found the significance of coming outside. Then again, she never had anything against him, but she didn't approve of the way he treated her brother. But then again, he was also the cutest guy in town! His white trench coat was placed diligently on the chair behind him as he continued to sneer. His spine tingling blue eyes locked on Serenity, waiting for her to do another act, just like a true Wheeler mutt would.

But then again, Serenity never did anything wrong to him. But she was one of _them_. The peace-patrol of Domino that consisted of goody-two-shoes Yugi, the corny lecturer whom anyone would give their lives for if she stopped talking for once, Tea, the useless extra weight, Tristan, and of course, the ever popular Joey Wheeler. What Kaiba disliked most about Serenity was her direct relation to the mutt. His own sister! Not even a distant cousin or an adopted child! Despite which Wheeler, they were all the same to Seto Kaiba.

"You live here?" asked a nervous Serenity.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Do you know that you're trespassing? I could have you put in prison for that," he smugly explained.

Serenity nearly rolled her eyes at his macho bragging. 

"Of course what you speak is true, I mean you're Seto Kaiba, Japan's youngest CEO. And of course I should be punished for my wrong deed, but I must admit, you have quite the astonishing garden. Probably the prettiest that I've ever seen," she sucked-up, hoping that flattery would work.

"Don't waste your time, Wheeler. I'm not bought over that easily. Now I suggest you move before I call security," he practically ordered putting his nose proudly into the air. 

"Of course," she said bowing her head searching for a gate that lead out of this hidden paradise.

"Other side of the house," he impatiently told her as he got less and less amused by watching the Wheeler sister look.

"Oh right," she blushed of embarrassment as she raced to get out of the garden and away from Kaiba's glare. It took her about five minutes to run across the garden and avoid all the massive swimming pools and ponds, but she finally got to the main gate. The LARGE main gate. The beautiful gilded gate with stunning craftsmanship that gave the house it's warming elegant touch.

Then came the thing that ruined that elegance: the guard. As Serenity tried to get through the gates, a guard dressed heavily in pitch black sunglasses blocked her way.

"Name" he grunted. Serenity found this weird since guards usually ask for names when people _enter_ a house.

"Uhh....." the dumbfounded Serenity said in intimidation to the bulky guard "Serenity Wheeler?" she asked to see if the guard would accept. 

"Sorry, ya' not on tha list," his heavy New York accent responded, "Wait til Master Kaiba hears about this. He don't approve of robbas'."

"Robber? No, no, you don't understand! I didn't break in, honest!" she pleaded as the guard took her wrist and started dragging her towards the garden from where she had just come. 

"Then what were ya doing here?" he asked, his grip tightening. Then Kaiba came.

He ambled up to the guard with his chest protruding and his head held up high as if the world below was to unfit to look at. 

"It's ok, Kluge, she didn't break in. You can let her go now," He ordered the trembling guard as Kaiba's glare fell upon him.

"Yes, Master Kaiba, of course," and the guard immediately released Serenity's hand.

"Good, now that will be all," Kaiba said giving the guard the order to leave.

"Of course," the shaking guard managed to stutter in the CEO's presence. And he hurriedly went inside the mansion.

"Umm... thanks," Serenity squeaked as she felt embarrassed that Kaiba had to come and save her from that humiliation.

"After you raced off, I realized that there is always a guard positioned at the gate. And seeing as how he didn't see you enter, and the fact that you're a Wheeler and have no logic reasoning..."

Serenity stared in disbelief at the man standing before her. One minute he was insulting her, the next he was helping her, and now he was insulting her, yet again. 

"Umm...yeah. Thanks again, Kaiba," she mumbled as she knew that she had no right to speak up to him about the insult he just gave her since he did just save her too.

Kaiba was amused at how easily he had played with the Wheeler. It seemed fun. One minute, he was insulting her, the nest, he was saving her from a guard, and now, he was insulting her, yet again. 

He motioned for Serenity to follow him.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Kaiba and Serenity walked only about five yards when they had reached the golden giants that were the Kaiba Mansion gates. 

"Now leave before I really do call security," he chillingly snapped as punched in a few numbers on the gate's security system. And automatically, the golden giants opened, revealing Serenity's path to leaving the embarrassment she had just endured.

Serenity stared at Kaiba, only for a second this time, and immediately responded to his command. 

And of course, Serenity took quickly to his command. And Seto Kaiba watched her leave, amused at the entertainment he had just received. 

"Time to fire someone else," he said to himself as she went inside the mansion to make his imbecilic employees pay for their screw ups. 

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Kaiba Mansion$*$*$*$*$*

"Smooth, Serenity, real smooth. As if falling straight on your face in front of Japan's most powerful CEO, (and not to mention the cutest too) wasn't enough. Then you go making a blabbering fool out of yourself in front of him and his freaky guard."

Serenity started walking away towards the bus stop down the corner where she would catch a ride home, cook dinner for Joey, and then tell him about her day, if he asked, and exclude the part about the Kaiba mansion (Of course). 

Joey could never find out because what would he think when he found out that his little sister was walking on gates, and not only ANY gates, Kaiba's gates. And we mustn't forget the part of the little rendezvous of Seto Kaiba and Serenity Wheeler.

If there's one thing that Joey stressed to Serenity, it was the cruelty of Seto Kaiba, and how important it was for her to stay away from him. 

'Joey never has to know..." she hummed to herself as she started triumphantly walking away. 

But as you readers will learn later in this story, the Wheelers will often congratulate themselves on victories, even though they have not officially left the forest yet...

"Hey, Serenity," called a voice from behind her.

Serenity froze in her tracks as she heard this voice. This rather _familiar_ voice. 

"No...no...," she gasped to herself, afraid to turn around, fearing who it was.

She gracefully turned around, and to her luck...

Tristan Taylor was standing expectedly behind her.

I'll let you readers in on a little secret: Serenity, she likes Tristan. But why would she be afraid of being seen by him? Easy, 'cause how would you feel if your crush found you outside your crush's best friend, and your brother's, enemy's house?!

Not too peachy... 

"Oh hello, Tristan," she warmly greeted after she mentally kicked herself. "What are you doing here?" she asked through a forced smile. 

"I was just taking a walk, but I should ask you the same thing. What were you doing in the Kaiba mansion?" he suspiciously asked raising an eyebrow.

"You were taking a walk past _Kaiba's_ house? Is that part of your _normal_ routine?" she asked quietly to herself as anger of bad luck rose up inside of her like a volcano. 

"What was that Serenity?" 

"Nothing," she sweetly replied, giving Tristan her Grade A smile, making him blush terribly. 

'Great, now what do I do? I can't tell Tristan I was at the mansion, he'll tell Joey and my curfew will be restricted to 3:00 p.m., not to mention the fact that I'm probably gonna be isolated from the rest of the world, but he already saw me come out from the gates!'

"Well?"

"Uhh...." 'This is not my day' she thought to herself feeling a little light headed once gain.

"Hey, Tristan, slowdown!" came the Wheeler brother's voice as he panted his way over to Tristan, who was still waiting for Serenity's reply. "Hey, Serenity! What are you doing here?" he asked noticing his little sister standing nervously in front of Tristan.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Serenity exclaimed as she started cursing out her brother and his darn walking path which happened to go around Kaiba's house. 'This is insane, mad, mean, bad, bad, bad, bad, BAD luck!' she hissed. 

"That's exactly what I asked her after she stepped out of there," Tristan explained pointing a finger towards the grand manor.

"What were ya' doing at Kaiba's place?" Joey asked a little aggressively as his angry glare fell upon Serenity.

'Oh no!' Serenity's mind kept repeating 'What do I tell them now?'

"Well," she started, "*heh heh* It's a funny story..."

Joey looked at her crossly, Tristan mimicked. 

"I've got time," Joey explained as he and Tristan both folded their arms across their chest. 

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$* 

Ok, that was kind of stupid, I'll admit. But this is my first Yu-Gi-Oh fic. Please R/R!

Tootles,

Celestial Night


	2. The Acceptance Letter

Chapter Two: The Acceptance Letter   
  
Hey everybody! I'm glad I got so many reviews. Oh, and btw, whoever wanted to know how long I've had my ff.net account, I've had it since August 2, 2003. See the stars I use in my border, they represent Serenity. The dollar signs represent Kaiba. Anyways, here's Chapter Two. Oh yeah, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Wheeler Residence$*$*$*$*$*  
  
A groaning Serenity woke up from her peaceful slumber. Today was the day. For weeks she had been anticipating this very letter, and today, the first of the month, was the day it was destined to arrive.   
  
She rubbed her eyes and then put on her fluffy pink slippers and her soft cotton blue robe. She looked at the time.  
  
"Oh my gosh! The mailman must've come already!" and with that said, she raced downstairs.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Kitchen$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Joey was sitting at the kitchen table. As soon as the blur named Serenity raced past him, he opened his mouth to say something, but Serenity didn't have time to listen.  
  
"Hey big brother. No time to talk, gotta get the mail." she blurted as she raced out the door.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Porch$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Serenity crossed her fingers as she closed her eyes and approached the mailbox. Nervously, she opened the small door, and found.....  
  
"Nothing?" nearly cried a very crestfallen Serenity. There was nothing in that mailbox. Never in her life had she been so disappointed. She waited for weeks and weeks, checking the mail early in the morning everyday just to see if the letter had come in before time.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Kitchen$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"What's da matta sis?" asked Joey as she moped into the room.  
  
"It didn't come. I guess I wasn't smart enough for The Designing Institute." mumbled the tearing Serenity. Yes, Serenity wanted nothing more than to go to this school. It was the top notch school of its kind in Japan (AN: That's pretty good) and she desperately wanted to get in. She felt that getting accepted to this school was the best progression for her hopefully future career: A fashion designer.   
  
"Oh, then I guess this letter from this really smart fashion college is for me. Hmmm, I never even remember applying." joked a happy Joey as he waved an airtight sealed letter in front of his forehead.   
  
"Gimmee that." she said as she lunged for the letter. But Joey kept it far from her reach.  
  
"What's da magic words?"  
  
"Please and thank you, now gimmee!" she cried as she jumped to get the letter that was high in Joey's towering hands.  
  
"Ok" was Joey's simple reply, and he let the letter fall delicately into Serenity's eager hands.   
  
As soon as the letter was in Serenity's grasp, she tore it open.  
  
And she smiled:  
  
Dear Miss Serenity Wheeler,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been welcomed into the noble arms of Japan's finest designing/art college. (AN: Ok, she might be a bit too young for college, but let's just say she's so smart that colleges are looking at her in her sophomore year) Here, you will be become a master in the grand art of fashion technology, and with successful graduation, will be granted a degree to practice fashion designs in some Europe's most critically acclaimed "Grand institutes".   
  
Enclosed in this letter are the papers you will need to fill out to assure that you are willing to enter our school. Please fill out and send by the first of January, or as soon as possible.  
  
Congratulations!  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Mrs. Oriel Defaccio  
  
Dean of Admissions  
  
"Well?" asked a very anxious Joey "Did ya get in?"  
  
"Yeah, I did, Joey, but I wasn't accepted for the scholarship program." she said as she scanned the letter and its contents over and over again.  
  
"You weren't accepted for the scholarship? There must be something wrong with those freaks, want me to teach them a lesson?"  
  
"No, Joey. I'm sure that there was someone smarter than me out there who deserved the money more than I did."  
  
"I doubt that. You're da smartest girl I know."  
  
"Yeah but... I guess I need a job that'll pay me enough money in about 2½ years to pay the tuition fees." said Serenity as she put her head down on the kitchen table "Where am I gonna get that kind of job, Joey?"  
  
"I don't know, unless you work in one of those really big, corporate owned industries or businesses. They make millions." suggested Joey as he sat down opposite from his sister. But he immediately regretted his words as he remembered who he unfortunately knew that worked at one of those companies. Well, he didn't work there, he owned the place.  
  
Serenity beamed. Maybe KaibaCorp had a job opening. But judging by how Joey reacted yesterday when he saw her at the Kaiba mansion, maybe that wasn't such a good idea.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Outer Gates Of The Kaiba Mansion$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"Ummm...." Serenity was once again at a loss of words. Joey was getting impatient.  
  
"What were ya doing in that creep's house?"   
  
"Did he do anything to you?" asked Tristan who was starting to glow red with jealousy and anger.  
  
"I was visiting Mokuba." she lied looking up the pathway to see if Kaiba had successfully gotten into the house before Tristan saw him. "Mokuba and I became pretty good friends after Battle City, you know, and I'd thought I'd catch up with him a bit."  
  
"Did you run into Kaiba?" asked Joey a little suspiciously, wondering if his sister would lie to him. Then he cancelled out that possibility, Serenity was too nice of a girl.   
  
"No, he was at a business meeting all day. Mokuba called me and asked me to come over because his brother wasn't there, and you know that Kaiba would never let a Wheeler into his house." Serenity smiled, her story made enough sense for Joey and Tristan to buy.  
  
"Are you sure?" Joey asked  
  
"About what? I came, I played, I left. End of story." Serenity lied once again. Then she grabbed her brother's arm and started dragging him. "Come on, Joey. It's almost lunchtime, and we wanna beat those awful lunch crowds, don't we?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess." said Joey listening more to his stomach than to his sister.  
  
"Hey, Serenity, can I join you?" Tristan asked a little shyly.  
  
"Ok, Tristan." she answered happily, making Tristan blush even harder, if that were humanly possible.  
  
"But Serenity, I don't eva want you near dat house again, got it?"  
  
"Ok, but what about my play dates with Mokuba?"  
  
"Well, we'll see about him. But you hafta stay away from the otha Kaiba brother, I don't trust him, especially around you."   
  
"Ok, Joey." she said.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*End Flashback$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Serenity plopped herself down onto her sofa and picked up the newspaper.   
  
"Whatcha doin?" asked Joey nervously.  
  
"Looking for a job." she simply responded.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To pay for college, silly."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Anywhere that can get me that kind of money."  
  
"Like....?"  
  
"A big million dollar corporate office. I could work as a secretary or something."  
  
"Any specific companies in mind?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"KaibaCorp." Serenity muttered.  
  
Joey was at a loss of words.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Kaiba was lounging back in his swivel chair, thinking about how his brother just made a secretary quit.  
  
"Mokuba just had to put peanut butter in her shoes, didn't he?" he asked himself. That secretary that had just quit (Compliments of Mokuba) was the oldest secretary in all of the eastern hemisphere. She had been working there since Gozoburo (AN: Is that how you spell his name?) was alive, but Kaiba didn't fire her. He liked her. She was the one who always used to let him sneak into Gozoburo's business meetings and spy on his plans.  
  
But for once, Kaiba was actually glad that Mokuba had played his little prank. That old secretary was feeble. She was too old to be working, yet she refused to quit. But that made Kaiba wonder. Why did that old woman refuse to accept retirement when she was over the age of seventy, but immediately scream her secession from Kaiba's employee line when she found something sticky in her shoes after her nap? Kaiba had realized that that woman had wanted to quit all along, but was too stubborn to admit it. She was just using Mokuba's prank as an excuse to leave.  
  
"I need a new secretary." He said to himself as he thought of the as he out in the newspaper.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Bus Stop$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"No way, Serenity. You're not going." Joey firmly stated as he watched his sister board the bus.  
  
"Joey, you're so overprotective."  
  
"But dat jerk will neva hire ya. He'll humiliate ya instead."  
  
"At least let me see if I'm qualified for the job. It can't be that bad."  
  
"Serenity....I don't wanna see ya get hurt." Joey said as he remembered what kind of jerk Seto Kaiba was.  
  
Serenity daintily stopped on one of the bus's steps. "Don't worry, Joey. I can handle myself. If I get the job, I can pay for college, and if I don't, well there are always other jobs in the world."  
  
"But I'm just afraid."  
  
"Of what? That I'm gonna fall in love with him?" Serenity asked as the doors closed. This caught Joey's attention.  
  
"Come back here!!!!" he shouted as the bus left in a cloud of gray smoke.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Mokuba watched his brother for a second. Recently, he had discovered that a special person in someone's life can change them completely. Well, actually he hadn't discovered that. He just saw it on a TV show, and he thought that it looked really cool.   
  
'Maybe that's all that Seto needs.' Mokuba thought to himself.  
  
"What?" Kaiba asked noticing Mokuba staring at him.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Kaiba shot a suspicious look at Mokuba, then returned to his laptop.   
  
$*$*$*$*$*KaibaCorp's Waiting Room$*$*$*$*$*  
  
'What girl would Seto like?' Mokuba continued to ponder to himself as he entered the waiting room.   
  
Any guy would've killed to be in this room. There were girls crowded in it. Blondes, brunettes, redheads, tall girls, skinny girls, practically girls of every color and size. All of these girls wanted to be the KaibaCorp secretary, basically to see the elder Kaiba everyday.  
  
All the girls cleared the way for Mokuba. They all wanted to feel like his "Older sister" so they could get a good word in for the job. They all complimented him on his "cuteness and charm" but he paid no attention to them.   
  
Mokuba sat down in a seat that one of the girls had given up for him, still entranced in the search for a girl for his brother, he didn't even bother to say thank you to the girl.  
  
"It has to be someone unexpected." Mokuba said quietly to himself. He also discovered on TV that the one you're most likely to fall in love with is someone you already know and would never have expected. That left Mokuba with a few girls: The girls in Yugi's group.   
  
"There's Tea." Mokuba spoke to himself. Then he cringed at the thought of having Tea as a sister-in-law. "Nah...too talkative. I don't know anyone who'd want to date her."  
  
"How about Mai? She's not really one of them, but she takes there side more than anybody else's." Mokuba thought about that for a second. Mai didn't really seem like Seto's type, and Joey liked her anyway.  
  
"Maybe Seto wouldn't like anyone in that group. He always calls them Yugi and co., or the idiots, or the vexations, or the ones so desperate, they believe that cards have hearts." Mokuba slightly giggled at the terms his brother referred to as opposed to Yugi and his friends. Then a small thought squirmed his way into Mokuba's mind.  
  
"What about Joey's sister? She's sweet, pretty, and so...optimistic. She's his exact opposite, perfect! Now, what was her name?" Mokuba asked himself as he tried to recall the Wheeler sister's name.  
  
"Serenity!" he said just a tad too loud. A lot of girls turned to look at Mokuba, hoping that the name he just blurted wasn't the name of his brother's girlfriend.  
  
"Hello, Mokuba." came a soft and caring voice.  
  
Mokuba turned around and just the girl he was looking for. There sat Serenity Wheeler. She was filling out the application that was mandatory for the job when she heard someone call her name.  
  
"Hi there." Mokuba greeted back "Are you trying to get the job?"  
  
"Well, I'm hoping." Serenity squeaked under the angry eyes of all the jealous girls that had attracted the younger Kaiba's attention. She had no idea that this many girls were willing to vie against each other just for a job.  
  
"Want me to put in a good word for you?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Well, that wouldn't be fair. I want to get the job because I'm qualified, not because we're friends."   
  
"Ok." responded Mokuba, not listening to Serenity. Instead he was fantasizing his brother's wedding day. 'I wonder how Serenity would look in a wedding dress.' he questioned, trying to form the perfect wedding day scene.  
  
"I'll be right back." he told Serenity as he went into his brother's office.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"Hey, big brother, guess what."  
  
"What?" his brother asked impatiently as he still kept his eyes glued to the computer screen.  
  
"Serenity's trying out for the secretary job."  
  
"Serenity?" his brother asked drawing a blank in his mind.  
  
Mokuba sighed "Joey's sister." he reminded, wondering how Kaiba could forget who his future bride was.  
  
"Well, well, well, our little gymnast wants the job? This ought to be amusing." He said loud enough for his brother to hear as he closed his laptop.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Twenty Minutes Later$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Kaiba had already interviewed a few girls, yet he was yearning to interview Serenity. He was saving her for last because after interviewing nearly a hundred of these teenage bimbos, he needed a good laugh.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Two Hours Later$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"Mokuba, send in the next girl." Kaiba groggily ordered as he rubbed his eyes. This was hard work.  
  
Mokuba checked outside the door, and there she sat. The last girl waiting was Serenity.   
  
"I'll be right back." Mokuba told his brother as he walked into the waiting room.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Waiting Room$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"You're up next." Mokuba told Serenity.  
  
"Great, wish me luck!" she exclaimed as she got up.  
  
Mokuba stood near the office doors and starting pointing to it, and started nodding his head frantically, and then he gave her a thumbs-up signal.   
  
'I guess Mokuba wants me to get the job.' Serenity thought to herself as she took in a deep breath and opened the office doors.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Kaiba looked up to see who the next bumbling ditz was, and to his torturing pleasure, it was the Wheeler girl.  
  
Serenity noticed the smirk on Kaiba's face, and regretted ever coming.   
  
"You know, KaibaCorp is looking for a secretary, not a gymnast, and even if we were, we'd want one who's actually good and can keep her balance." Kaiba sneered. 'This is going to be fun' he thought to himself.  
  
"Hey, that was an accident." Serenity mumbled as she rubbed her neck and enjoyed watching her feet.  
  
"Really? That accident is the best performance I'd expect from a Wheeler."  
  
"Are those questions and comments really necessary for an interview?" Serenity shyly asked.  
  
"No, but I can make them be."  
  
"Can we please get on with the interview?"  
  
"The interview's already begun, and I'd like you to tell me why I'd ever hire a Wheeler to work within a mile of me?"  
  
"Couldn't you forget this childish feud you have with my brother and realize that I'm just here for a job?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why can't you host an interview like you're supposed to and not try to lower my confidence?"  
  
"Because, that takes all the fun out of things."  
  
Serenity was getting quite annoyed.  
  
"Here! You can have your stupid application, cause I don't know what stupid spirit possessed me when I ever thought of coming to this stupid job interview!" and she threw her application in his face.  
  
"I hope you know that this lowers your chances of getting the job." Kaiba calmly responded.  
  
Serenity angrily rolled her eyes and stomped out of the room.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*That Night$*$*$*$*$*  
  
After Serenity's little eruption, Kaiba and Mokuba started looking at the applications. While Kaiba jauntily threw the applications away before even getting a thorough look at them, Mokuba grabbed Serenity's.  
  
"I don't like this one's name, this one seems too happy, this one is too young, this one seems like a stalker....." and Kaiba just kept putting those applications in the fireplace.  
  
Mokuba was scanning every word of Serenity's application.  
  
"Hey, Seto?" Mokuba asked as he watched his brother happily throw away another bundle of applications.  
  
"What? And why have you been looking at that one application for so long?"  
  
"Because it's Serenity's."  
  
"Oh, then let me have it."  
  
Mokuba was about to give it to Kaiba, but then took it back.   
  
"Sorry, big brother, but you're gonna throw it in the fireplace saying 'I don't like her hair color' or something.  
  
"Mokuba, I'm hurt. I would never categorize her like that. I'd throw away her application based on her freckles."  
  
Mokuba rolled his eyes.  
  
"Seto, Serenity's only sixteen, that's only a year younger than you."  
  
"So? Our old secretary was nearly a century older than me."  
  
"She was voted neatest cubby in preschool."   
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"It helps by looking at the applications, Seto."  
  
"That takes too much time. Now, are you going to throw out that flea-collar wearing idiot's application, or do you want me to do it."  
  
"She doesn't wear flea-collars, Seto."  
  
"She'd have to if she wants to go anywhere near her brother."  
  
"She's really sweet."  
  
"My, my, my, aren't we being so defensive. If you like her so much, then why don't you date her?"  
  
'Because she's not going to become my wife, big brother.' Mokuba slyly thought to himself.  
  
"I'd think she'd make the perfect secretary." Mokuba argued.  
  
"And what makes you think I'd want to hire her?"  
  
"I'll tell everyone you sleep with your blue eyes beanie-baby."  
  
"Mokuba, you know that's not true."  
  
"It's amazing how well you can doctor a few photos using technology nowadays."  
  
"Mokuba, you wouldn't."  
  
"I would."  
  
"Tell me why you want me to hire that mutt's sister."  
  
"Because she's my friend."  
  
"That would be an unfair advantage to all the other girls."  
  
"You didn't even bother to look at the other girls. Personally, I think Serenity's the best choice. She didn't even make a mistake on her application."  
  
"Let me see that." and Kaiba grabbed the application and vowed to find a mistake that his immature little brother had overlooked, but he found...  
  
"None?!" Kaiba said as he looked up at Mokuba's grimacing face.  
  
"She's perfect, big brother."  
  
"As a secretary." Kaiba reminded.  
  
"And as your special person." Mokuba mumbled to himself.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing, big brother. I'll go give Serenity a call and tell her she's got the job." and with that said, Mokuba raced out the door before his brother could object.  
  
"Stupid kid....has a crush on the mutt's sister." Kaiba muttered to himself as he laid himself down on his black executive chair. Then a wicked smile spread across his lips.  
  
"I wonder how the mutt will take the news....."  
  
$*$*$*$*$*The Wheeler Residence$*$*$*$*$*  
  
"Serenity, phone for ya." called Joey.  
  
"Ok, Joey." Serenity said as she took the receiver.  
  
"Hello? Hi, Mokuba! What's that? I've got the job?! Really? How? Oh never mind. Oh thanks, I'll be there tomorrow at nine, right? Ok then, bye!"  
  
"Who was that?" Joey and the visiting Tristan asked in unison, very suspiciously.   
  
"That was Mokuba." she simply responded.  
  
"Mokuba Kaiba?" Tristan asked extremely nervous.  
  
"Yeah, what other Mokuba do we know?" she joked as she sat down.  
  
"What did he want?" Joey asked very seriously.  
  
"He just congratulated me."  
  
"On what?"   
  
"Getting the job! Isn't that great?" she exclaimed.  
  
"No!!!!!!" Tristan and Joey did not approve.   
  
'Darn, now I have competition!' Tristan thought to himself.  
  
'He's gonna hurt her!' Joey's mind kept repeating.  
  
"Serenity, you're not going!!!" Joey and Tristan stated.  
  
"What?!" Serenity asked as her anger rose.  
  
$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*  
  
Sorry that was soooooooo long. Please R/R, and I'll update faster. For every seven reviews, I'll put up a new chapter. 


	3. Flavored Coffee

Chapter Three: Flavored Coffee

So I took long in updating, sorry! It's just that I never knew so many people would review. Here's the chapter. 

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Room$*$*$*$*$*

"Ok, Serenity, calm down. You don't want to look stressed on your first day of work." Serenity calmed herself as she examined herself in her mirror.

Her hair was nice and combed and smelled of citrus fruit. Her sand colored boots were nice and polished with not a single mark on them. Her pink collar shirt fit snugly around her and it was flawless: It had a single trace of a wrinkle. Her tan pants were pressed.

"I should look professional enough." and she glanced at the clock.

8:13

"Oh man, I have to eat breakfast quickly or else I won't get a good seat on the bus." and she raced downstairs.

$*$*$*$*$*The Kitchen$*$*$*$*$*

Joey sat patiently at the kitchen table. He wasn't in the mood for eating.

"Hi, Joey." Serenity greeted as she raced to the fridge and got some orange juice. Then she noticed the look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing! I'm just waiting here for my sister who's gonna start work today at the place which my greatest enemy owns. I'm just peachy! I don't have to worry about my sister, I don't have to worry about the fact that my enemy will control you for the whole day. I'm just gonna sit here and watch TV." Joey sarcastically explained as he shot a sharp look in Serenity's direction. 

"Joey, we went over this yesterday." Serenity complained as she poured herself a glass of orange juice, being careful not to splash a single drop on her ensemble. 

"You're not going." Joey firmly stated.

"Why not?" Serenity whined.

"Because, Mr. Moneybags is a mean, snobby, arrogant, ego-headed jerk who'll probably make you call him 'master', and that's the least of my problems."

"He'll probably be in business meetings all day." Serenity reminded.

"Seren, I just don't want an officer at my door at night saying that you've been hurt."

"Joey, I am hurt. You keep treating me like a little girl! Give me some space, please! I can take care of myself, now if you don't mind, I have a job to get to." she snapped as she left for the door.

$*$*$*$*$*The Front Door$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity, who was in a bad mood already because of the fact that her brother thinks she is too irresponsible to work at KaibaCorp, opened the door to find Tristan.

"Tristan? What are you doing here?" Serenity asked.

"And hello to you too, Serenity."

"Sorry...I'm kind of mad at my brother." Serenity shyly admitted.

"You have no reason to be." Tristan said.

"Why not?" Serenity asked as she wondered whether Tristan and Joey had some conspiracy going on.

"Because, he's worried that Seto Kaiba's gonna hurt you, and I'm worried too." Tristan blushed as he said the last part.

Serenity took in a deep breath.

"Tristan, I'm not a little girl anymore. Please let me leave so I can go to work."

"But just last night you were telling us how big of a jerk Kaiba is."

"But that's before I got the job." Serenity explained.

"But he'll hurt you." came Joey's voice as he entered the conversation.

"No he won't. I can protect myself, if he tries anything funny, which I think he probably won't."

"I wouldn't put it past him." Joey and Tristan murmured.

Serenity rolled her eyes. "I gotta go." she said as she tried to gain passage to the outside world, but Tristan blocked her way.

"Tristan!" Serenity groaned.

"You're going to work in my car, so I can assure you get there safely."

"Joey! Do something!" Serenity whined.

"Serenity, I think Tristan's doing this for your own good."

Serenity rolled her eyes once again. "Fine" 'at least it will beat sitting on a crowded bus.'

$*$*$*$*$*Tristan's Car$*$*$*$*$*

Tristan kept blushing every time he eyed Serenity sitting in his passenger seat. He was enjoying this ride because for once, Duke wasn't around to keep him from her, and Joey was nowhere in sight, so there was no "Stay away from ma sista!!!" being heard. 

'Joey and Tristan have a conspiracy. They're H-O-P-I-N-G to hurt Serenity.' Serenity hummed to herself in the tune of "Sitting In A Tree". She was NOT enjoying this ride. "First comes mistrust, then comes the damage, then comes Serenity in a baby carriage." She mumbled this loud enough for Tristan to hear, but he was too wrapped up in his fantasies about his wedding day, with beautiful Serenity as his bride.

"Why can't I be trusted?" she suddenly asked the spellbound Tristan.

"Huh?" Tristan asked as he came out of his trance. He blushed very much thinking of how he just made an idiotic fool of himself.

"(Groan) Why don't you and Joey trust me?"

"We do trust you, Serenity, honest. It's that Kaiba jerk we don't like."

"I'm gonna work for him, and that's only until I can pay my tuition fees. It's not like this is a permanent job or anything." she explained.

"Still, Joey asked me to walk you in on your first day of work, and that's a promise that I'm gonna keep." Tristan said.

"When did he ask you to walk me in?" Serenity angrily asked.

"Last night."

"Why?"

"I keep on telling you this, Serenity, we care for you and don't want you to get hurt."

'The last time someone walked me to my destination was when I was in Preschool. Honestly! What do they think Kaiba is capable of? They think me working for him is like leaving a baby with a serial murderer.' Serenity thought to herself.

Serenity remained quiet the rest of the car ride.

$*$*$*$*$*KaibaCorp$*$*$*$*$*

Tristan grabbed Serenity's hands and led her inside the lobby, blushing madly. They came to an abrupt stop. 

There stood Seto Kaiba, with a curious look on his face. Mokuba, standing right next to him, beamed with joy to see his new favorite secretary. Kaiba noticed this and rolled his eyes.

"Well, Serenity, I guess you were smart enough not to bring your brother, so there's no need for the lecture on pets not being allowed." 

"Hey! Serenity's doing you a favor by working here! You don't even deserve to be in her presence, you dragon!" Tristan yelled.

"Tristan, please..." Serenity tried to calm as she put her face behind his body. How could she look at the man who controlled her paychecks (From Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 am and from noon to five on Saturdays.) when Tristan was making a scene out of everything?

"Yes, Tristan please, I must show my new secretary her duties." Kaiba said.

"I'm not leaving." Tristan declared as he clenched his fists.

"Tristan, you said you'd walk me in and you did so...." Serenity began.

"Leave." Kaiba snapped and finished.

"You better do what he says." Mokuba whispered to Tristan. Mokuba just wanted to get Kaiba and Serenity alone: Cut Tristan out of the picture.

"I heard that, Mokuba." Kaiba said as his flawless trench coat flowed out of the room.

"Sorry, big brother." Mokuba timidly said back knowing that Kaiba controlled another important paycheck: His allowance.

"Serenity, are you actually going to go with that creep?" Tristan asked.

"Tristan, it's just a job. I need the money for college, you know that."

"Yeah but.....I'm worried about you."

"You're so sweet, but I can take care of myself." Serenity reassured.

Tristan blushed like a cherry in July.

"Ahem.." Mokuba cleared his throat as he tried to break apart this little conversation.

'My brother never had to compete for anything in his life (Ok, maybe except against Yugi, but only in duel monsters) and he won't start now.' Mokuba thought to himself.

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity finally reassured Tristan that she could handle herself, and Kaiba if needed. So after she watched Tristan drive away, she hurriedly followed Kaiba down the long halls to a another hallway, but this one was different.

It had cerulean tiles, and pure white ceilings. Beautiful glass doors with a Blue Eyes White Dragon sketched within them. Serenity looked through the glass doors and wondered if that was her new office.

"You're lucky, Serenity, not everybody gets an office like this." Kaiba said answering her question.

Outside the doors was a little white box.

"Have you ever heard of Biometrics, Serenity?" Kaiba asked.

"No, Kaiba." Serenity simply responded.

"It's the science of using a person's voice, fingerprints, and retinas to identify them, and it's 'Master' during working hours."

Serenity looked up at Kaiba with a blank face. "Excuse me?" she humbly asked.

"Seto!!!" Mokuba tried to scold.

Kaiba was amused by Mokuba's crush on the Wheeler girl, so he decided to be generous.

"Fine, Serenity?"

"Yes?"

"You call me Mr. Kaiba."

Fair enough since that was his name and you had to give your boss _some_ respect, so neither Mokuba nor Serenity objected.

"Put your eye in front of the green circle." Kaiba commanded.

Serenity was a little anxious at first. She looked at the white box that had a few number keys and a green radar-like circle on it.

"What for?" she asked.

"You'll see."

Serenity id as she was told and put her left eye in front of the circle. Kaiba pressed a few buttons on the number pad and then finally a gust of air came with a clicking into Serenity's eyes.

"Relax, it was just air and it only took a picture of your retina. For security reasons." Kaiba explained as the sketched doors to Serenity's office opened.

The office looked was onyx. Beautiful onyx desks, bookshelves, and even an onyx black couch. The desk and the bookshelves were trimmed with gold. The shimmering black tiles held only one gray rug under Serenity's desk. The back of the office had a HUGE window that took up the whole wall giving Serenity a view not of the industrialized city, but of an old park nearby. Serenity pressed the couch and her finger was practically absorbed! If her couch was this comfy, Serenity really wanted to sit in that leather chair that was perched silently behind the desk.

"Ok, Serenity, this is what you'll have to do............" and Kaiba continued telling Serenity about filing and taking down appointments and something about getting him coffee everyday, but Serenity was too wrapped up in her new office that all she could do was try to pay attention and simply smile and nod.

$*$*$*$*$*An Hour Later$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity squirmed in her leather chair. It was so comfy! She swiveled it jauntily as she falsely typed documents onto her onyx black computer. (AN: DELL all the way! I wish I had one. *Sighs*) 

Then the clock struck twelve.

"Mr. Kaiba's coffee break." Serenity told herself as she went down to the cafeteria to get some coffee for Kaiba.

$*$*$*$*$*The Cafeteria$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity was allowed to get some coffee for herself. After she got two cups of Java, she looked at the condiments: Creme, little packets of milk, sugar, that Equal fake sugar stuff, and...

"Lemons!" Serenity gasped. Lemons were what her mother used to put in her tea when she was little and oh how it pleased her! There they were, sitting all sliced up in a little glass bowl.

After Serenity squeezed some lemon into her coffee, she grabbed the two cups and started heading upstairs when she stumbled into someone.

"Umm...hello." she quietly squeaked.

"Are you the new secretary?" a high pitched voice asked.

"Uhh....yeah." Serenity said looking up to see a woman dressed in a black business dress with black hair tied tightly back in a ponytail. 

"Well, hello, my name's Marie, former assistant to the chief marketing producer." the woman said extending her hands.

"My name's Serenity." Serenity answered easing up a bit and returning the handshake.

"Boy, do I feel sorry for you. Being a secretary or an assistant is murder." Marie said taking pride in her new job.

"What do you do now?" Serenity asked.

"Well, I _was_ an assistant til one day I showed my boss some of my ideas for advertising this new product. Anyway, when they saw my ideas, they went ecstatic, so now my old boss is now my co-boss, and you wanna know how _really_ I got that job?"

"How?"

"Well, I always put perfectly sharpened pencils on my boss's desk."

"And?" Serenity asked feeling a little confused.

"My dear, it's never too late to learn the fine art of sucking-up. Sharpening the pencils was one of those _little things_ that count with you boss."

"Oh, ok." said Serenity "Well, I gotta get going and deliver this coffee to my boss." she said das she sped off upstairs to Kaiba's office.

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

After dropping off her coffee at her desk, Serenity entered Kaiba's office and put his coffee on his desk.

Kaiba looked up at her from his laptop. "You actually remembered that I asked you to bring me coffee everyday?"

"Ummm...yeah. Didn't the other secretaries?"

"My only previous secretary could barely climb the stairs to the cafeteria, so no."

"Oh, well I'll be leaving now." Serenity said trying to exit the office.

"Wait, Serenity..." Kaiba called just as she was about to leave the office.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?"

"What did you put in my coffee?"

"Nothing, sir."

"It tastes...sour."

'Oh no!' Serenity thought.

"Uhh.. I can explain, Mr. Kaiba-"

"What for, Serenity, this actually tastes good." Kaiba said sipping his coffee some more.

"Really?"

"I said I did, didn't I?"

"Oh, that's great, but I should be leaving now." Serenity said as she tried to once again exit.

"Serenity?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Could you make coffee like this everyday?"

"Yes, sir." and Serenity finally exited the room.

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"Maybe, the lemon flavored coffee is one of those _little things_ that Marie was talking about. Maybe I could get a promotion and in no time, pay for college!" Serenity said to herself.

"You don't need coffee to get a promotion." Mokuba said as he played his Game Boy on the black couch.

"I don't?"

"Nope, didn't you notice?"

"Notice what?"

"My brother called you 'Serenity' not Wheeler or another one of those nicknames he has for you and your friends."

"I never thought about that....."

Serenity was left thinking about that single term used for her all day.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Sorry I took so long in updating, it's just that I'm not exactly a Seto/Serenity fan anymore, I'm a Seto/Kisara. But don't worry, I'll still continue this fic.

Tootles,

Celestial Night 


	4. Bolidaman Inc

Chapter Four: Bolidaman Inc. 

Thanks for all of your reviews everybody! I just hope that I can keep on updating. But to thank some of you reviewers:

Emily10: Thanks, and I'll read your stories once I get the chance, I promise. And I've heard of Seto/Serenity in the Manga, but the thing is that I've read so many places that they don't get together in the Manga, could you send me some proof that they do? 

Cheetor X: Thanks for your reviews, and Kisara is the BEWD girl that Kaiba is holding during the flashbacks during his duel with Isis. She appears in the Manga, but I'm not quite sure whether or not she appears in the Anime. I think Priest Seto and Kisara have a thing for each other, but I'm not quite sure of that either. 

Kikoken: Awwww, thanks for your really nice reviews.

Moonliteangel527: Thanks-wait, I'll thank you the next time I see you, cuz.

Ice14: Thanks! 

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"Serenity, do you think my brother is a bad guy?" Mokuba asked out of the blue one Tuesday morning. 

"Huh?" Serenity asked back as she looked up from her work at the computer. "Could you please repeat the question, Mokuba?" 

"Do you think my brother's a bad guy just like the rest of your friends do?"

"My friends don't think that your brother's a bad guy."

"Yeah, they do."

Serenity shook her head. "Mokuba, they simply misunderstand your brother. Your brother was a nice guy, and he had a hard life. My friends and I just try to kill the cruelty inside of him and bring back the good kid that he once was."

Mokuba thought for a second, "Did you think about my brother any differently after that whole Big Five win-a-duel-steal-a-body incident?"

Serenity thought for a second, "I learned not to criticize him so quickly, after all, if I had that kind of life I would surely be a little grouchy too, and I think we all saw somebody in a new light after the Big Five incident." Serenity explained, thinking of Tristan. (AN: Remember, this is a SetoxSerenity fic!) 

Mokuba was about to ask who she saw in a different way, but then the clock struck twelve.

"I'll be right back, Mokuba, I have to get your brother his coffee."

"He needs it....." Mokuba answered remembering how his brother got no sleep last night.

"Did your brother get any sleep last night?" Serenity asked remembering how Kaiba was typing, emailing, and ordering documents and parts frantically yesterday, plus he was in like seven meetings too.

"He might've, but I don't know since he didn't come home last night. The driver had to take me home

alone."

"Your brother must be really tired." Serenity said with a sigh just thinking about how hard he worked.

"Nah, he usually has days like that. I once saw him stay up for a whole week-I thought he had insomnia or 

something. Isn't that cool?"

"Mokuba," Serenity explained, "There's nothing 'cool' about not getting any sleep. Your brother must

have been miserable." 

"Maybe, just make him some of that lemon flavored stuff, and he'll be alright." Mokuba said.

Serenity left with a sigh thinking about how Mokuba could be so clueless to how his brother must feel about 

no sleep: Surely he didn't think it was 'cool'.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

While Serenity was getting his brother's coffee, Mokuba decided to see what Serenity was busy working on.

He opened up the program she was working on and saw that she was typing the elder Kaiba's schedule.

"Seto's day is never simple." Mokuba said as he read the packed day his brother had in store for tomorrow. 

"Let's see, three meetings, a business luncheon, and another meeting to discuss plans with Bolidaman Inc." 

What was Bolidaman Inc? It was the best computer part seller in all of Japan. Kaiba would never buy the 

parts he needed for an invention from any other company. This is the place Bill Gates would go to get his

computer fixed. 

Bolidaman Inc. and KaibaCorp and a _very_ strong affiliation.

"I wonder which old geezer Bolidaman Inc. will send over as a representative this time." said Mokuba.

It was true, Bolidaman Inc. had a variety of representatives. Each one's character was as hilarious and

ridiculous as any member of the Big Five's.

They were little and rude, stuck-up and deceiving, and very cynical towards others.

Mokuba scanned through his brother's schedule, and came to a stop when he saw who the representative

was.

The representative: Bolidaman Inc.'s very own CEO.

"No way!" Mokuba screamed as he ran into his brother's room.

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Kaiba was groggily typing away at his laptop. Dark circles under his eyes were evident a mile away.

Disheveled hair was an obvious sign of sleep deprivation. Weak eyelids struggled to keep open. 

You would've been quite daring to mess with him in his current state: He was very _petulant_ to say the least.

But the daring Mokuba had a bone to pick with his brother.

Mokuba slammed open the door and went straight to his brother's desk.

"Why is the _CEO_ of Bolidaman Inc. coming?" he angrily asked.

Kaiba looked up to see a fuming eleven year old boy with raven black hair. His eyes were locked on Kaiba,

an obvious sign that he was serious.

"What do you have against the CEO of Bolidaman Inc., Mokuba?"

Kaiba was quite amused, despite his current lack of rest state, at the concept of Mokuba being angry.

Mokuba was the one who was always telling Kaiba to be nicer to others. 

"But why is _she_ coming? She usually always sends representatives."

"Mokuba, were you looking at my schedule again?"

"That's not the point. What are you going to do at your meeting anyway?"

"I'm not going to answer back to an eleven year old."

"Seto!!!....."

"Mokuba, leave, I have work to do." Kaiba ordered as he held back a yawn.

Mokuba knew he'd never win against his brother, but maybe Calista Bolidaman coming to KaibaCorp

wasn't such a bad idea.

Mokuba shook that thought out of his head.

'Calista Bolidaman is a walking Barbie Doll: She's too much competition for Serenity.' he thought.

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba left the office only to be greeted by Serenity holding a silver tray with an exquisite silver teapot, a

beautiful, matching silver cup, a box of sugar, a bowl with an already sliced up lemon tucked inside, and a

lovely Jacqueline-styled spoon.

"What's all that for?"

"I think your brother will need more than the usual amount of coffee this time." Serenity explained as she

easily pushed her boss's door open with her back and carried the tray into his room. 

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity was greeted by a sight seldom seen by any living thing.

Seto Kaiba lay with his back slumped on the chair, a pencil still in his hand, his laptop still on, fast asleep.

"Wow..." Serenity breathed.

She put the tray down on a nearby table.

She walked over to his desk, saved the documents he was working on, and gently closed the laptop.

She stood back for a moment, and she watched him.

"This is a true Kodak moment." she admitted to herself.

The great Seto Kaiba, who towered over the common people, enjoyed lowering other's self-confidence,

found joy in plain torture, was drifting off in a world of slumber with the soft subtlety of a lamb.

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity entered her office with a question on where to find a blanket in her head.

She raced out the door in search of one.

"What was all that for?" Mokuba asked as he watched her run.

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba wanted to see what made Serenity race out of his brother's office so quickly.

And when he saw the dragon fast asleep, a question entered his mind.

"Where can I find a marker?"

Mokuba wanted to be like that Jiggly Puff on Pokemon who drew on people's faces when they were asleep.

So of course Mokuba started a search, rummaging through his brother's desk drawers to find a black,

permanent marker.

"Voila!" he said as he found one in the very bottom drawer.

Too bad he never got to draw on his brother's face....

As soon as Mokuba had the marker tip just an inch above his quiescent brother's face, he heard Serenity

enter her office.

Thinking quickly, he hid behind a curtain as Serenity came in with something neatly folded in her hands.

"What is that?" Mokuba asked himself.

Serenity came up to Kaiba, unfolded the throw, and avidly put it on him-almost as if waking Kaiba would 

lead to a great punishment, so he had to be handled with care.

Serenity stepped back, and exhaled a sigh of satisfaction and relief when the throw was finally placed on

Kaiba. 

As she was leaving the room, she noticed the phone plug still in.

She yanked it out.

"Mr. Kaiba will not be taking any calls today." she giggled to herself as she swung the wire in her hand.

She left the room with a good feeling embedded in her heart.

Mokuba stepped out from his post behind the curtain.

After seeing that, he wondered if the CEO of Bolidaman Inc. was really any competition for Serenity at

all......

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$* 

Please R/R!!!! I hope you enjoyed that chapter.

Tootles,

Celestial Night 


	5. The Most Beautiful Blue Eyes

Chapter Five: The Most Beautiful Blue Eyes

I know chapter four was really, really, really stupid and corny, so I'll try my hardest to make this chapter more interesting. But this chapter, it's pretty long.

VanillaMoose4132- Thanks, and Seto and Serenity do get together in the end, I wouldn't call it a SxS fic if they didn't.

vendred13- Thanks, and I do too wonder what Kaiba would've thought about that.

Moonliteangel527-Thanks, and blah, blah, blah. 

Mari Star 146- Thank you, and hopefully I won't get a flame, and even if I do, I'll keep going!

Six of Hearts- I'll update whenever I get a chapter done, but I'll have to get back to you on that fluffy stuff (Sorry, I don't _usually _write a lot of fluff) ^.^

Sakura Kaiba- Thank you soooooooo much! Your review really made me feel appreciated! lol :)

Kikoken- Sorry I couldn't make Mokuba draw on Kaiba's face....thanks for reviewing! I promise I'll put more humorous parts in the next few chapters.

Seren147- Thanks! *.~ 

Chaos person- Thank you! I think Kaiba and Serenity make a good couple too. 

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba watched through the window, waiting for a certain white limousine to pull up in the KaibaCorp parking lot.

The CEO of Bolidaman Inc. was scheduled to come today.

"Uhh...Mokuba?" Serenity asked as she got curious as to why he was so involved with whatever was outside the window.

"Yeah, Serenity?"

"What are you waiting for?" 

"Bolidaman Inc." he simply responded.

'Bolidaman Inc?' Serenity thought. "Ohhhhhh!" she quietly realized.

Serenity started looking through her schedule and found what Mokuba was talking about. 

Serenity smiled at Mokuba and said "Mokuba, that meeting isn't until around three o'clock, so you have plenty of time."

Mokuba still kept his eyes glued on the window.

Serenity sighed "Mokuba, isn't it going to be quite boring just standing there all day?"

Mokuba did not respond yet again.

"It's a shame that you're not going to be able to play with that new game your brother bought you for your Game Boy."

"What new game?" Mokuba asked as he snapped back into reality.

Serenity covered her mouth in false horror "Never mind me-I've said too much."

"Keep talking..." Mokuba ordered as his eyes narrowed.

"Well, it was supposed to be your birthday gift, but since I spilled the beans....your brother got you that new umm....Zelda game."

"Seriously?"

"Would I lie to you?" Serenity asked crossing her fingers. 

"Where is it?" Mokuba asked as he raised an eyebrow. 

"In your game room."

"I'll be right back...." Mokuba said as he went off to his game room to see if Serenity was actually playing games with him.

"*Sigh* Mokuba has to do something more productive with his life. I swear, all he does is play on that Game Boy." Serenity said to herself.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba was sitting with a disappointed frown on his face as Serenity typed away on her computer. He pressed back into the couch he was sitting on.

"That wasn't a funny trick." he pouted.

"Well, I had to do something to get you away from that window, and why were you so anxiously waiting for Bolidaman Inc. anyway?"

"It's been a long time since I've seen Calista Bolidaman." Mokuba responded as his eyes cornered to the floor.

"Calista, is that her name?" Serenity asked, remembering her Italian.

"Yeah, do you know her?"

"No, but I know the name Calista-it means the most beautiful girl. *Sigh* I wish I had that name." Serenity said in a dream. 

"But you certainly won't wish to have that name when you meet Calista." Mokuba mumbled.

"What was that, Mokuba?"

"Nothing."

"Mokuba, how'd you know that the CEO of Bolidaman Inc. was coming today? Did you look at your brother's schedule again while I was getting his coffee?" 

"That's not the point and _why_ do you people always want to know whether or not I was looking at my brother's schedule?"

"Because Mr. Kaiba gave me direct orders not to let you see it."

"He probably just doesn't want me to see that he won't have time for me; he never really does anyway."

Serenity as about to say something, but then her boss entered with a scowl in Mokuba's direction.

Obviously he had heard some of Mokuba and Serenity's conversation.

And he _did not_ like being talked about behind his back.

His eyes narrowed like arrow at Serenity.

"You there," he snapped, "I pay you to work, not to have conversations with my younger brother."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir." and Serenity returned to her typing.

"And you..." he retorted to Mokuba. 

"Mokuba, I give you as much time as I can. I'm a very busy person." he gloated as he angrily stepped into his office.

"Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Serenity said as she looked up from the computer.

"Yeah, he's probably just cranky because he's still tired." Mokuba sighed.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Three o'clock struck before Mokuba and Serenity knew it.

Mokuba watched as precisely on schedule a pure white limo with a silver lining slithered into the KaibaCorp parking lot.

Serenity tried to see who this "Calista Bolidaman" was, but when she finally got a good view of the parking lot from her park-facing window, the CEO had already left the vehicle and had entered the building.

"Well" said Mokuba as his eyes went to Serenity "Serenity, don't worry, you'll soon meet Calista."

"I don't know why you make such a big deal out of one CEO."

"You'll soon find out....." Mokuba said as he sighed and watched the office doors.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

About five minutes later, a young woman walked into the office.

She was not an ordinary young woman.

She turned heads as she walked on the streets.

It wasn't because of her rank.

Let's just say she was _very popular _with guys.

Serenity stared as she click-clacked her way into the office with awe in her eyes.

She was a beautiful girl, with vivid blue eyes that seemed as if they were shimmering aqua-marines dancing up to greet the daylight. She had luminous blonde hair which swayed precisely at the right angle as she promenaded, and formed the perfect upside-down raindrop on the back of her head. She had radiant skin, it seemed as if someone had thrown drops of sunlight onto her face. She was 5' 5'', the perfect height. She wore a gray business dress that carried lighter gray stripes, and underneath it, she wore a crimson red sweater. Her skirt, although part of a business dress, was pulled up high. She wore black, very high-heels with caused the subtle click-clack as she walked. Over her shoulder she slung a large black pocketbook. 

Serenity got up from her chair and all she could say was "Are you Miss Bolidaman's secretary?"

The young woman looked at her as if Serenity was an idiot.

She started giggling frantically.

Serenity looked at Mokuba as he pointed to the woman from behind and mouthed...

"This _is_ Calista."

Serenity could not believe it.

"_You're _Calista Bolidaman? You're so....so....so....young!"

Calista regained control over her giggles, and ceased them with a glance at Serenity.

She started looking at Serenity by scanning her from head to toe. It was almost as if she was inspecting her.

"I", she said in a tone that could only belong to a Barbie, "am the only CEO younger than Seto Kaiba himself. I inherited the company when my parents got a divorce and couldn't decide who the company went to."

"I'll tell Mr. Kaiba that his three o'clock is here." Serenity said a she picked up the phone and pressed the intercom button.

She kept her eyes fixed on Calista.

"Umm...Mr. Kaiba?" Serenity asked.

"What?" the angry voice on the other line responded.

"Miss Bolidaman is here."

"Then send her in." Kaiba ordered.

Serenity put down the phone and was about to lead Calista into Kaiba's office, but then Calista said ....

"Don't worry, I know where Seto's office is." 

She fluffed up her hair and headed her way into Mr. Kaiba's office, but before she did that, she turned around.

"Mokuba, dear, I almost didn't see you. It's like you get smaller and smaller every time I see you." she said with a pat on his head.

"Hi, Calista!" Mokuba greeted with the same tone he used with Serenity.

"Cute kid." Calista said patting Mokuba's head harder.

"Miss Bolidaman, Mr. Kaiba doesn't like to be kept waiting." Serenity explained.

"Don't worry," Calista responded as her voice got higher, "Seto and me, we're like this..."

And Calista held up two closely woven fingers.

And then Calista pushed back her hair in a way in which it almost hit Serenity's face.

Calista looked back with a small smile on her face.

"_Whoops_, sorry."

And then she click-clacked her way into Kaiba's office.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

About two minutes later, Serenity was still standing with Mokuba tracing Calista's trail from when she came in the office and left the office, and all the mental damage she caused in between.

"And _that_," Mokuba said, "was Calista."

"I thought you were the only one allowed to call your brother 'Seto'." Serenity said.

Mokuba shrugged, "Calista _thinks_ she's an exception."

"Are your brother and Calista really as close as she says they are?"

"Not that I know of." Mokuba calmly responded. "Come on, we've got a business meeting to eavesdrop on."

"*GASP* Mokuba, I am not going to listen in on your brother's very important meeting." the goody-two-shoes responded.

Mokuba rolled his eyes "Sure you're not." and with that, he grabbed Serenity's arm, and took her right outside Kaiba's office doors.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$* 

"Mokuba, what are we doing here? Your brother will not approve of this when he finds out." Serenity said as Mokuba placed his ears to the door.

"That's _if_ he ever finds out."

"Mokuba, I'm not doing this: It's illegal."

"No it's not, I am the Vice President, which gives me every right to hear this conversation, and you are a staff member, which gives you every right to know what's going on in the place you work. Now, keep your voice down."

Serenity did not think that Mokuba's reasons were valid enough, but then again, she slightly wanted to hear what was going on in this meeting too.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba and Serenity were bored out of their minds when all they heard was talk about some new technology that would enhance the crystal quality of a Duel Monsters hologram. 

But they were snapped back into reality when they heard Calista change the subject of the conversation.

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"So the giga chip technology should be arriving around Christmas season.....and what's with your new secretary, Seto?"

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Office Doors$*$*$*$*$*

"What does she mean 'what's with' me?" Serenity heatedly asked.

"Shhhh! This is starting to get good." Mokuba silenced. 

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"Bolidaman, that's not the topic of our meeting."

"Seto, we've known each other for so long now, call me Calista."

Every time Calista had this request, Kaiba's respect for her started to get lower.

"Bolidaman, we're here to talk business."

"What business? Out affiliations are good, the sales are good, stocks are high, and I don't see the point in wasting a whole meeting over that."

Kaiba thought that Calista was just about ready to throw her files into the garbage.

"I don't like your new secretary."

Kaiba was thinking as to whether or not reply to her question because he had just told her that Serenity was not the topic of their meeting.

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Office Doors$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba had to keep his hands around Serenity's mouth to keep her from screaming.

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"What's wrong with my secretary, Bolidaman?"

"I really and truly believe that she's underqualified to be KaibaCorp's secretary. There are certain responsibilities that come with such a rank."

"Whatever those responsibilities are, Bolidaman, I'm sure my secretary has fulfilled them, and are you implying that my taste in secretaries isn't good enough?"

"No, no, of course not, Seto! I was just trying to say that your secretary seems too...young."

"Wheeler may be young, but she gets her work done, and that's all a secretary is used for."

"Wheeler? Is she in any way related to what's his name....Joseph Wheeler?"

Kaiba kept quiet.

"Seto?"

"She's his direct sister." he finally answered.

"Ewww! How could you possibly let a Wheeler work within a mile of you?"

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Office Doors$*$*$*$*$*

"What right does Calista have to hate the Wheelers?" Serenity angrily asked "She doesn't even know us!"

"She hates whatever Seto hates, and likes whatever Seto likes." Mokuba explained as he placed his ear closer to the door. 

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"Did you _really_ hire Serenity Wheeler?" Calista asked with a face as if she's seen a rat. "And did you _truly _hire her because you thought she was qualified?"

Kaiba was silent again.

"If you must know, Bolidaman, I didn't choose to hire her. Mokuba blackmailed me with a threat of doctored photos if I didn't hire her." Kaiba replied.

"Then I guess I'm partly to blame for that: I taught Mokuba how to doctor photos." Calista explained.

'I doubt that, I taught Mokuba everything he knows about the magic of technology.' Kaiba thought.

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Office Doors$*$*$*$*$* 

"Hey, that's a lie! Seto taught me how to change photos!" Mokuba said as he ignored Serenity's angry glare.

"Mokuba, you said I was chosen to be the secretary because I was *_qualified_*!" 

"Well, I wasn't going to let one of those scary fangirls become the secretary. Do you have any idea of how hard they can pinch cheeks?"

Serenity sighed. 

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

"Then why didn't you just blackmail Mokuba back?"

"The public doesn't want Mokuba, they want me." The egotist named Kaiba explained. "Besides, the kid has a desperate crush on the girl, and it's very amusing to watch."

"So Wheeler's _not_ a qualified secretary in your mind?"

"Actually, she gets her files handed in on time, she's always five minutes ahead of my schedule, and she's professionally organized."

Kaiba was speechless for a second: He hadn't given anyone a compliment like that in years.

"Anyway, Seto, I have to be going. Oh, if you need a new secretary, call me, I'm sure I'll find a _good _one for you."

$*$*$*$*$*

As Calista opened the office doors, in fell Mokuba and Serenity.

"Hi, Calista!" Mokuba greeted once again.

At the sight of Serenity on the floor, desperately trying to get up, Calista sneered.

"Sure, Seto, you have a wonderfully trained secretary."

"Hello, Mr. Kaiba. Did I get you coffee today? Oh! I didn't! Well, let me get some now." Serenity blurred as she tried to scramble away from Kaiba's really, really, really, angry glare.

After Serenity ran away, Mokuba was left with Seto all by himself.

"Uhhh, hi, Seto!?"

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity was tired, really tired when she arrived home that evening. 

She was about to enter the living room, but she heard a familiar voice coming from inside it.

Isis was talking.

$*$*$*$*$*The Living Room$*$*$*$*$*

"As I was saying, Kisara, or the one Priest Seto actually cared for, had blonde hair, very white skin, and rich blue eyes."

$*$*$*$*$*With Serenity$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity recognized that they were talking about this whole Egyptian stuff again, but what they were talking about intrigued her, yet put some fear into her as well.

$*$*$*$*$*The Living Room$*$*$*$*$*

"The spirit of Kisara will find a host soon, I can sense it." Isis explained.

Serenity could hear the voices of Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Duke, and especially Joey.

$*$*$*$*$*With Serenity$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity was scared of what Isis was saying because she said that the girl Priest Seto cared for, will be coming to the present soon, and also, that she had blonde hair, white skin, and very blue eyes.

In other words, Isis was saying that Kaiba was gonna get a girlfriend soon, that had blonde hair, white skin, and blue eyes.

To Serenity, that sounded a lot like Calista.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

For every ten reviews, I'll put up a new chapter. So R/R!!!

Tootles,

Celestial Night


	6. Pizza Parlors And Spirits

Chapter Six: Pizza Parlors And Spirits

Yeah, chapter five was long, wasn't it? Don't worry, chapter six has a lot of action (depending on how you view things) and it's not that long! I hope it doesn't totally suck!

VanillaMoose4132- Thank you! And it's true that you don't have to look like someone to inherit their spirit but...... Let's just put it this way, when I was describing Calista, I never said that I wasn't describing Kisara and I never said that I was.

PinkStarz-Thanks, and although Kisara might be a Yami, she doesn't have to be evil. Though Calista is as evil as someone gets.

DragonmageShizuka- Yeah, I know, Calista should die, but I don't want to kill anybody in my fanfictions...but it would be soooooooo awesome if she did!

Katie Bell, Chaser- Thanks, your reviews make me feel so much more confident about my story!

neo_elite- Thanks! ^.^

Angelic-Yuki- Thank you! :)

Kikoken- You've been such a loyal reviewer, thank you soooooooo much, and I'll try to put some more Mokuba/humor parts in my fanfictions.

Moonlite Goddess- You don't count as a reviewer, but I'll thank you anyway. :P ^.~ 

vendred13- Thanks! 

****

Honushi- I never did anything to you, and I don't know why but out of the blue you send me a flame! IF you ever did upload any fics, they'd probably be so bad that you wouldn't need MY opinion to get a flame! If you don't like SetoxSerenity, don't read them. (stupid jerk!) 

I hope I didn't forget anybody, and if I did, please tell me! So, here's the chapter!

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Limo$*$*$*$*$*

On rare occasions Serenity was allowed to accompany Kaiba to his business meetings because she was his secretary. Today was one of those occasions.

Kaiba watched as his secretary stumbled with multiple schedules in her hands and a face full of embarrassment to hide from her boss whenever those papers slipped from her grip.

Now, Kaiba enjoyed watching the Wheeler girl stagger and make a fool out of herself. It was quite amusing to him.

"Wheeler," he barked.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir?" Serenity asked as she pushed papers out of her face.

"No eavesdropping on the meeting this time." he said as a sinister smile appeared on his face.

"That was Mokuba's idea." Serenity ever so quietly mumbled as she looked down to the limo floor.

"I said no eavesdropping on the conversation, Wheeler, I didn't want an explanation on whose idea it was."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir." Serenity replied.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

When the limo came to an abrupt stop two blocks away from its destination, at a small parking lot, Kaiba was agitated.

"WHY are we stopping HERE?" he very furiously asked the chauffeur. 

"Sorry, sir, but I can't go any further. We're locked in traffic and the traffic cop is allowing no cars beyond this point." 

"Make him allow _this _vehicle." Kaiba ordered.

"Yes, sir." the chauffeur answered as he got out of the car mumbling something about how this was tampering with the law.

Serenity simply stared and giggled at this.

It was her turn to be amused.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Kaiba and Serenity watched through one of the limo's multiple windows as the conversation between the chauffeur and the cop took place.

The talk involved a lot of angry hand gestures.

The traffic cop was saying that he couldn't change the law just for Seto Kaiba.

The chauffeur was saying that he _had_ to or else Seto Kaiba would have his head.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

The conversation ended with the chauffeur hesitantly approaching the limousine.

You'd feel a little scared too if you had to tell _the _Seto Kaiba that he didn't win.

Serenity watched again as the driver came inside the limo, hung his head and said,

"Sorry, sir, but this is as far as I am permitted to take this vehicle."

Now it was time to feel sorry for the traffic cop. You could bet that there would be some sort of bad consequences for him not letting Kaiba get his way.....

The driver carefully opened Kaiba's door. It was as if he was letting some sort of dangerous animal loose in the middle of a city.

Which it actually was....

The dragon left the limo, stepped outside to the traffic cop, and said something to him..

Serenity, who just stepped out of the limo, never actually heard what Kaiba said, but she knew it was strong enough (or possibly scary enough) to make the cop's knees clang and clatter together like two banging spoons.

'Note to self: Never get on Mr. Kaiba's bad side.' Serenity told herself.

After Kaiba was done with his little speech, he continued with his march down the street. Holding himself higher and higher with every step he took.

"Wheeler," he called back.

"Yes, sir?"

"Get over here, I have a meeting to get to." he stipulated.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba." Serenity replied as she organized her flying papers and hurriedly caught up to him.

$*$*$*$*$*Main Street$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity never actually got what Kaiba's big deal was about walking a couple of blocks until she remembered something:

Kaiba was an egotist. He believed himself to be higher than others, _much_ higher.

Serenity noticed the disgust on his face as he heard the giddy squeals of the fangirls, the stares from young, aspiring duelists, and the flashes from the cameras of tourists. 

Kaiba was a star to some people, yet as insensitive as he was, even he didn't always want to be caught up in the Public Eye.

Serenity almost would've felt sorry for him, then she remembered how he treated others around him.

Kaiba treated others poorly and made them feel miserable, so other people in the public made his life miserable.

What goes around, comes around.

$*$*$*$*$*In Front Of The Pizza Parlor$*$*$*$*$*

Now the street that Kaiba and Serenity were walking on held a small pizza parlor.

It was the hangout for most of the teens.

What Serenity feared most was that this was where Yugi and his friends would eat lunch.

And as fate would have it, the clock read 12:08.

During this time, Yugi and his friends would be sitting at a red-rubber booth at the far end of the restaurant.

And where Yugi and his friends were, Joey was.

Serenity nervously gulped as she saw the red and white checkerboard banner of the parlor in the distance.

The parlor also had a HUGE clear glass window. It was very easy to see things through.

'Relax, Serenity, what are the chances that today of all days Joey and his friends are eating pizza there?' Serenity asked herself as she tried to calm herself as well.

But one can never be too careful.

$*$*$*$*$*

Kaiba easily strode passed the massive window without any worries or cares of who or what was inside.

But Serenity had to be watching her back.

It only took one simple glance to see Joey sitting on top of the red-rubber booth at the far end of the restaurant. From what Serenity could tell of her short look at him, he was doing his 'Kaiba' impression for he had his shoulders broadened, and his hand on his chest with stern eyes.

Serenity had to duck.

Why didn't Serenity want Joey to see her with Kaiba? Not that that really needs any explanation but first of all, Joey did not approve of Serenity's job. Second of all, Joey did not approve of Kaiba. Finally, Joey would not approve of seeing Kaiba and Serenity together even if she was on her job, and was simply accompanying him to a meeting.

Joey did not trust Kaiba, Joey did not trust Serenity working for Kaiba, Joey could not be trusted after he would see Kaiba and Serenity together.

Kaiba noticed that his secretary was nowhere in sight. 

So after Kaiba realized that he had lost his secretary, he looked back and still could not see Serenity.

"Wheeler?" he called as his anger rose.

Serenity, who was still crouched on the ground underneath the parlor window, was trying to crawl through the crowd and quietly answered, "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba could pinpoint the pinprick of a sewing pin. Depicting Serenity's location in the crowd was no hassle now that he had heard her voice.

Kaiba had to step back a few yards to find his secretary huddled under a rather large window.

"Wheeler," he said as he looked down in hilarity to see her so anxious, "get up from there. You have nothing to fear but your own dignity." he ordered with more amusement. 

Serenity crawled until she was safely out of the window's shadow, and in front of a small brick portion of the restaurant.

"Sorry, Mr. Kaiba, I was looking for a lost paper." she lied as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Now, Kaiba was no fool. He could easily see _all_ of Serenity's papers neatly filed and tucked into the pocket of her arms.

"Is that so, Wheeler?" Kaiba asked as he went in front of the parlor window and looked in.

His eyes trailed to the far end of the restaurant, and he saw the unease in Serenity's eyes.

He had a cruel and vicious smirk resting on his face.

"Wheeler?" he called.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she answered back with tension running through her voice.

"What time is it?" he asked, although he had a watch on.

"It's twelve-thirteen." She replied.

"What time do we have to be at the meeting?" he asked, although he already knew the answer to that question.

"One-fifteen." she answered back.

"I'm in the mood for some lunch." he declared as he looked across the street.

Serenity released a breath of relief because across the street were the finest Five Star restaurants this side of Japan. The rich, high, and mighty often went to these bistros spending from $28.50-$75.80 for a simple cup of coffee.

They had very fine cuisine.

Kaiba was used to eating here. 

Serenity had nothing to worry about because Kaiba was gonna eat at one of those restaurants; where else would Seto Kaiba dine?

But one could never be too sure.

Kaiba gave Serenity a sharp look. 

He was up to something.

The look he gave Serenity was the exact same slinking smirk he gave her when she first came in for the job interview.

Serenity looked up at him with horror-struck eyes.

"I'm in the mood for some pizza." Kaiba declared as he looked up at the restaurant.

Serenity never knew what fear was until now.

$*$*$*$*$*The Pizza Parlor$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity hid her face behind her multiple papers as she entered. 

If she was lucky, her brother wouldn't see her.

Although she had just entered the crowded restaurant, she could hear her brother rambling.

"I just hate that jerk! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" Joey yelled. "Poor Serenity's probably working her little self out right now!"

Joey sat on top of the red-rubber booth, obviously declaring his undying hate for Kaiba. Ryou peacefully sat in the booth, pretending to care about Joey's digressions. Yugi was *trying to* explain to Joey that Serenity voluntary went to the job interview. Tea (who unfortunately was sitting next to Joey) was trying to tell Joey to keep his mouth shut while he ate, for some loose cheese slices were flying out of his mouth. 

Duke and Tristan were there too, but they were another story. Tristan and Duke defied Yugi and agreed with Joey that Serenity shouldn't have to work for Kaiba.

"I have a job for Serenity in my workshop: She can refill the oil cartridges for the motorcycles." Tristan explained.

"No way! Serenity's a lady and she shouldn't have to work with filth! She should work with me!" Duke objected.

"If Serenity shouldn't have to work with filth, then why are you suggesting that Serenity should work with you?" Tristan angrily asked.

Serenity furtively crept past Joey's booth, but amazingly, as soon as she passed by, Tristan and Duke started sniffing the air.

Serenity could just see Joey through a gap in her papers. Luckily, he hadn't noticed the auburn-haired girl who shared an uncanny resemblance to his sister, yet. 

Serenity got in line for pizza, and took off the piece of paper that Kaiba had pinned to her shirt which held the pizza order. He said that a Wheeler could not be trusted with such a task.

"One medium, large topping pizza." Serenity retorted to herself as she read the note.

Then entered Kaiba. He had told Serenity that he would be waiting outside for the delivery, but what fun would it be to wait outside when the action was about to happen here?

Kaiba's already disgusted face started to squirm even more when he saw the red and white checkered tiles, and the soap-smelling, red-checkered floor. His eyes lowered at the sight of common folk eating and gossiping in the sparkly red-rubber booths. 

Oh how he hated the general population.

And he loathed pizza or any type of fast food.

But he had a job to do...

He ignored all the stares from the people, and casually leaned himself against a booth only two booths down from Joey's.

Joey started to growl as Kaiba passed by.

"Ignore him." Yugi said.

Joey growled more in return.

Kaiba simply smirked.

Serenity saw Kaiba lean against the booth, and was seething with anger, but she could not say anything to him for Joey was watching Kaiba with narrowed eyes.

In other words, Serenity says something to Kaiba, Joey will see her, and if Joey sees her, well, we'll see what happens.

Serenity was amazed at the location Kaiba had picked to lean against: He was equally away from Serenity as he was from Joey. Kaiba was the center of some sick little triangle he had created for the fun of it. 

Serenity saw Kaiba intently watching her. 

Serenity could sense Joey's attention angrily shooting daggers at Kaiba. 

Serenity's only wish at that moment was that Joey could not and would not follow her boss's eyes.

"Wheeler," Kaiba said as he still stared at Serenity, "make that topping extra cheese." he ordered.

"I ain't your slave so I ain't getting you any pizza, Kaiba!" Joey shouted. 

Kaiba's head turned to look at Joey, and then, he did the one thing that at all costs Serenity hoped he wouldn't do. 

"Oh, but I wasn't talking to you." Kaiba explained to Joey. Then Kaiba turned his head to look directly back at Serenity. "Did you hear me, Serenity?"

__

Serenity never believed in hate.

It took Joey about a minute to notice Kaiba's stare at the auburn-haired girl who shared an uncanny resemblance to his sister.

"Serenity?!" Joey asked a little surprised, shocked, and mad at the same time.

Serenity turned her head towards her brother and let her hand take the papers away from her face.

"Uhh....hi, Joey!" 

Duke and Tristan immediately raced out of their seats and vied for Serenity's attention.

"Serenity! I knew I smelled you!" both of them exclaimed.

"Did you hear me, Serenity?" Kaiba asked again, very much delighted as this scene unfolded.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir." Serenity answered with a hertz of -2 pitches.

"I didn't hear you, Wheeler." Kaiba said.

Serenity sighed, "Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir." she responded.

And this time, it was audible.

Joey was........_mad_. 

"Mr. Kaiba?!!! Mr. Kaiba?!!!" Joey exclaimed hysterically as he ambled up to Kaiba and Serenity.

Kaiba looked quite satisfied with what he had done so far.

"Well, she refused to call me 'master'." Kaiba sneered.

Serenity was mad, really mad. 

Joey was mad, really, mad. 

"Kaiba!" Joey screamed, "You wanna pick on the Wheelers? Well, let's dance!" He hollered.

Joey was holding up clenched fists.

He was making a scene.

People started staring.

Kaiba wasn't scared.

"No, Joey," Serenity said as she ripped up the note that was pinned to her shirt.

Serenity was paying no attention to the fact that Kaiba was her boss, nor the fact that he was a _very_ powerful man.

"_Mr. Kaiba_, I may be your secretary, but I am NOT going to allow this kind of treatment to my family. I ignored the first few comments you originally gave me, and I even let that floozy Calista's insults go by, but you have humiliated me for the last time!"

It was as if Serenity was a whole new person.

Like Kaiba actually cared about the puppy dog's sister, or her little outburst.

"And?" Kaiba casually asked, making Serenity's eruption feel useless.

__

Serenity was going red with hate. 

"Ugggghhhhhhh!!!!!" she angrily breathed.

Joey was proud of his little sister's newly-found hate for Kaiba.

Yugi and the others watched horridly as Serenity grabbed a pizza out of a customer's hands and started yelling, "You, _Mr. Kaiba_, are an arrogant, rude, mean, narcissistic, big-headed, JERK who'll do anything to get his way and crush anything or anyone in his path, and I'm getting really tired of it!"

"Is she mad?" Tea asked.

"Nope." Joey answered smugly, "She's the smartest girl I know."

"And another thing...." Serenity started, but never got to finish.

Serenity was overcome by an absorbing force.

She was left standing in the position she was currently in. 

Serenity started breathing fast. She felt like she was choking on something. Something wasn't allowing her to speak. It was like she was no longer in control of her body.... 

With a flash of golden beams, Yugi's puzzle started to twist and turn. Ryou's shirt started to reveal the impression of the millennium ring, despite his desperate attempts to loosen his shirt and make the impression go away. 

Kaiba's attention, for some twisted reason, immediately snapped back to Serenity, but Kaiba didn't feel like himself.

All eyes were on him and Serenity.   


He could feel the weight of his cousin Yami's stare upon him.

"Cousin? Yami?" Kaiba asked his mind as he turned around to see, of all people, Yugi, staring at him fixedly. Kaiba stared at him as if this was the first time he ever saw him. 

This little staring contest almost instantly brought Kaiba back to Serenity, who hadn't changed and was still holding the pizza in her hands.

But wait! There WAS something different about her now.

Perhaps the rest of the world didn't notice it, and perhaps it was the cheap lighting in the restaurant, but Kaiba could've sworn his life that Serenity's eyes were now a passionate, vibrant, and flamboyant _blue_. Not the subtle hazel color he had always associated her with.

Serenity could not say anything, but she finally got control of her hand and tried to jerk the pizza at Kaiba, but her hand deliberately tossed the pizza in Tristan's face.

Serenity kept still, Kaiba kept staring at her, and the whole world seemed to drown away.

Kaiba could not control his body, Serenity could hardly move hers.

Duke finally broke the silence by laughing at what Serenity just did to Tristan.

Duke's laughs seemed to echo away in Seto and Serenity's world.

Serenity heard Tristan pull a slice off of his face and throw it at Duke, but it was almost as if she didn't care who or what these people were or did.

Then again a breech in the silence was caused by Joey's ringing tone.

"Stop staring at my sister!" his piercing voice ordered at Kaiba.

This breech seemed to collapse the darkness that was pulling Seto and Serenity into their own world.

Kaiba looked at Joey once again, practically nodded and immediately followed Joey's instructions, and with one wave of his trench coat, walked out of the parlor. 

__

Most people would expect Kaiba to fire Serenity for the threatening comments she gave him. 

Serenity watched Kaiba leave the parlor. Her hazel eyes relaxed and searched for the papers that she was carrying earlier. She found them in a mess on the restaurant floor.

She picked up those papers, and started filing and organizing them.

__

Most people would expect Serenity to quit after how Kaiba treated her. 

She waved goodbye to her brother and his friends, and then walked out of the restaurant to find her boss.

"What was that?" Joey asked.

Tea stared with her usual blank face.

Duke and Tristan were left simply staring after Serenity. 

//I sense a meddling with the spirits// both Yamis in that room told their hikaris. 

Bakura was just interested in whether or not this spirit came with a Millennium Item.

Yugi was worried about his friends, Kaiba and Serenity, for Kaiba knew a lot about these "Egyptian Fairytales" yet refused to believe in them, and Serenity was a mere beginner in all of this. 

But what Yugi was most curious about was the fact that both Kaiba AND Serenity acted rather strangely, when Yugi thought only Kaiba had a spirit inside of him.....

$*$*$*$*$*Outside The Parlor$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity found her boss walking many yards ahead of her.

She caught up to him, and she later accompanied him to his meeting.

And they both continued their day as if the fight had happened between two different people and had nothing to do with them.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

__

Later........

Serenity lay on her bed, recalling the day's events. What was happening to her?

"I hate Kaiba! I hate him soooooooo much!" she declared as she got off the bed and stood firmly on the floor.

She looked at herself in the mirror, she saw a firm young lady who was ready to be independent and stop being the little voice that she was always called.

She stared at herself some more, until she saw something....

It wasn't her standing in the mirror, it was a beautiful girl.

She had sauntering golden hair, and these brilliant, sapphire blue eyes which seemed to be like a beacon of light in the dark room, and the fairest white skin that seemed as if she had layered herself with a light sprinkling of talcum.

Out of sheer shock, Serenity buckled down right where she was, and fainted softly.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

R/R!!!!

Tootles,

Celestial Night 


	7. A Type Of Racism

Chapter Seven: A Type Of Racism

Ok, I'm have a MAJOR writers' block at the moment, so please don't flame me if this chapter totally sucks!

(*) Means talking on the phone.

Ok, and Yugi might seem a little OOC, but that's only in a few parts.

P.S. If you do flame me, they will be used to heat my tomato soup. Mmmm, tomato soup......

Moonlite Goddess: ............

steel-angel-wing-weaver- Thank you, and don't worry, the Chapter's Finally Here!

Shimmersea- What a pretty pen name! I like it! Thank you soooooooo much! 

kehkanSKlover- Thank you!

DragonmageShizuka: I've been thinking a lot about your review, (thanks by the way), and I believe that Calista should get hurt, and possibly die. Hold on! Thank you, DragonmageShizuka, you just gave me a wonderful idea! ^.~

Kikoken: Thank you, and basically, what happened in the last chapter was Kisara revealing herself in Serenity's body, and Priest Seth doing the same to Kaiba.

Chaos Person: Thank you, and I have to see if whether or not I'm gonna give Serenity a millennium item.

Cherry Arrow: Thank you, and Kisara and Seth's past is really sweet.

neo_elite: Thank you, I can tell that you like my story!

mezu: Thank you soooooooo much!

vendred13: Thank you, you're reviews are really sweet.

VanillaMoose4132: Thank you, and you're right, it would be totally awesome if this happened in the real show! And I promise to read your stories once I have the time, I'm just soooooooo busy these days!

Huh? Oh: Thank you! :)! I can tell that you like my story, and from the sites that I go to, Yami and Seto ARE cousins! Freaky, huh? I think that their fathers were brothers or something....:P

Katie Bell, Chaser: Thank you! Once again, your great reviews always encourage me to write more!

****

Sakura Kaiba: I'm soooooooo incredibly sorry! You write such sweet reviews and me (being such a meanie) completely forgot to give you credit! I'm soooooooo sorry once again!!!! I'm such an absent-minded idiot! *slaps myself on the head* :( 

**********The Kitchen**********

"And that was my dream, Joey. Isn't it weird? I was sleeping, yet when I saw that girl in the mirror, I could taste the fear in my mouth." Serenity explained as she looked up at the kitchen ceiling.

That girl, that beautiful girl, was all Serenity could think about. Who was she? Serenity knew it was someone familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it....

"That's....great.....sis....." Joey said taking his time as he nearly buried his head in a bowl of cereal. Fortunately, he was too dazed to hear the description of the girl Serenity claimed she saw in the mirror while sleeping.

Serenity rolled her eyes to the clock, and when she saw that it was nearly 8:35, she panicked.

"Sorry, Joey, but I'm gonna be late for work-"

Serenity eased down a bit, and sat back into her chair when she realized it was Sunday.

Serenity honestly had no idea why she even wanted to go to work today. After yesterday, many people would think twice about going back to work for Seto Kaiba. She tossed and turned in her sleep the night before wondering whether or not she should go, but after about five hours of disheveled slumber, she decided to go because she needed the money, and she enjoyed her conversations with Mokuba too. 

It was her boss that kept her tossing and turning, and the poor thing had no idea why.

"Thank goodness it's Sunday." she said with a breath of relief.

Joey groaned. "It's Sunday already? Shoot, I have a history project due tomorrow!"

Serenity scowled. "Joey, Yugi and the others called two weeks ago to ask if you could come over to work on that project."

Joey mumbled something about how that was two weeks ago, and at that time, he believed he had plenty of time to procrastinate. 

"Joey, you have to maintain good grades. All you and Mr. Kaiba care about is Duel Monsters."

Joey's tired eyes immediately became fiery little molten daggers as they stabbed Serenity.

"Me and _who_, Serenity?"

Serenity instantly put her hands up to her mouth. "I said you and Kaiba, Joey." she explained with a martyred look of innocence upon her face.

"I don't know, Serenity-" Joey started as he was interrupted by the phone.

*RING! RING! RING!*

'Phew! Saved by the bell!' Serenity thought as she got up to get the phone.

Joey eyed Serenity as she got up; nothing but the thought of her filling out resignation papers filled his mind. 

Serenity got to the phone, and greeted with such an angelic voice, *Hello?*

*WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?!!! WE'RE GONNA FAIL THIS THING IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR-*

*Yugi?* Serenity asked.

Yugi was quite glad that at that moment Serenity could not see the wave of red that had submerged his cheeks. Perhaps he should've _listened _to the voice on the other line before he started yelling his multi-colored head off.

Quite an embarrassing moment, Yugi.

*Hi, Serenity, sorry about that. Could you umm (heh heh)....give the phone to your brother, please?* He asked while rubbing his neck.

*Ok* Serenity said as she gave the receiver to Joey.

Joey hesitantly took it from her hands, and silently spoke, *Hey, Yug!*

*DON'T YOU 'HEY, YUG' ME!!! WE HAVE A PROJECT TO GET DONE AND IF YOU DON'T HEAVE YOUR MONKEY-DREAMING BUTT DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW THEN I'LL-*

*Gees, Yugi! I'd come, but I have to uhh.....watch Serenity.* Joey lied.

*Serenity needs a babysitter?!!* Yugi asked while trying to calm his voice.

*Of course! You don't honestly expect me to leave her alone in this neighborhood, do you? She's a vulnerable girl, and at her age....._Yugi, how can you be so insensitive_?*

Now, Serenity could've very easily objected to what Joey was saying, but she wanted to see where he was going with this, and also, she was very much amused by Yugi yelling. 

*Call everyone else and tell them to meet at your house! I'll be there in an hour, and if you don't pull your weight in this project then I'll show you _insensitive_!!!!!* Yugi ordered as the clicking sound of the phone hanging up was heard.

"You should be more like Yugi, Joey; he actually cares for his grades." Serenity explained.

"He only cares for his grades cause his grandfather threatened to take away his cards if he didn't get a B average." Joey said, "Now, to get started on that project......."

$*$*$*$*$*The Den$*$*$*$*$*

Later......

"I hate history! Who honestly cares about how a wooden shoe revolutionized all of Japan?" Duke Devlin asked as he leaned across the couch in the den.

"That's exactly the kind of attitude that loses points with the ladies." Tristan explained while going into a daze of Serenity.

"I wouldn't be talking, monkey-butt!" Duke snapped.

"_I_ was transformed into a monkey because _I_ sacrificed _myself_ to save Serenity, which earned _me_ points with her plus an afternoon in her arms." Tristan explained as his mouth started to drool.

"You were still a monkey." Duke mumbled. "And, Serenity still likes me better than you anyway."

"In your dreams, Devlin!"

"Who wants to date a monkey anyway?"

"Hey! Being a monkey got me more points with Serenity in one day than it would for you being a human the rest of your life!"

"Well, I suppose that that one day that you were a monkey rubbed off on you because you're still nothing but a bug-brained baboon!"

"I wasn't a baboon, I was a monkey, and Serenity loves me!"

Duke was going to retort back, but then Joey interrupted.

"TRISTAN, SERENITY DOES NOT LIKE YOU, OR YOU EITHER, DEVLIN!" Joey said to the fighting teenage boys who both looked like monkeys when they did so, "SERENITY DOES NOT, I REPEAT, DOES NOT LIKE ANYBODY! NOW, PIPE DOWN AND LET ME FINISH READING THIS SO I CAN WORK ON THIS RETARDED PROJECT!"

"Listen to Joey." Yugi demanded as he tried once again to hear himself think. 

$*$*$*$*$*The Living Room$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity sat in the living room, trying to drown out the noise of the boys "studying" with some music and the television, until she heard a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Serenity asked as she turned of the television and music, got up and answered the knock.

Serenity was a bit take back when she opened the door.

There stood Tea, quite drenched from the rain that was zealously pouring outside. She wore a light jacket and moldy-muddy sneakers. Her hair was dripping with water, and she carried with her a bag full of takeout. 

Serenity thought about whether or not to allow her in; she had just cleaned the carpet. 

"Come in." Serenity invited as her stare remained on Tea.

"Hi, Serenity. Where are the others?" Tea asked as soon as she lazily threw her soaked jacket across the clean beige couch.

Serenity watched in horror as Tea's sneakers left brown impressions on the soft tan carpet.

Serenity shook her head, "This way," she said leading Tea to the den.

$*$*$*$*$*The Den$*$*$*$*$*

"Tea's here." Serenity said as she opened the closed door of the den and immeadiately ceased the vulgar comments from Tristan's and Duke's mouths.

"You guys," Tea said as she lugged the bag of takeout behind her, "you forgot to tell me that you were all meeting at Joey's."

"Oh, did we?" Yugi asked without looking up from his book. 

"Yeah, but luckily I stopped by Yugi's and asked Mr. Motou where all of you were." The brunette explained as she plopped down next to Yugi.

Although Tristan, Duke, Yugi, and Joey were all boys, even they could notice the filth Tea carried with her.

Yugi immediately moved farther away from Tea, and closer to the radiator.

Tea scowled when she saw Yugi do this.

"Sorry, Tea, I just wanna get warm." Yugi explained.

"That's a good idea. I'm really cold too." Tea explained as she got closer to the space heater and closer to Yugi.

"You know what, I'm gonna go get a drink. Anyone want anything?" Yugi asked as he got up and away from Tea.

"I'd like some ice tea, Yugi." Tea said as she opened one of the text books.

"Sure, Tea." Yugi said as if very annoyed.

"And get me a pack of root beer." Duke said.

"Me too..." Tristan said.

"Me three..." Joey chimed in.

"You guys eat too much; think of your cholesterol." Yugi said as he thought of all he had to carry. 

"It's okay, Yugi, I'll get the drinks." Serenity said as she started to leave for the kitchen.

"No, Serenity, it's okay. _I'd_ rather go get the drinks." Yugi objected while hinting to Serenity by nudging his head in Tea's direction.

Serenity found this to be very rude of Yugi, and very hurtful to Tea if she ever realized what was going on, so she decided to do something about it.

"Yugi, you're our guest. Please, let me get the beverages." she said as she immeadiately dashed through the door.

Yugi was left with his mouth opened, ready to argue.

$*$*$*$*$*

While Serenity was off to get the drinks, the others were left in a project slump.

"_Any_ ideas, guys?" Joey asked as he tossed a ball up and down from his position on the couch.

Joey tossed the ball to Yugi.

"We have all of our information we just have to think of a clever way to present it." Yugi said.

Yugi tossed the ball to Tristan.

"Sensei-Akikou said that half of our project's grade depends on how we present." Tristan said.

Tristan tossed the ball to Duke.

"And if we don't present in a clever way, we'll fail, and if we fail then we'll have to take the class over gain in summer school." Duke explained as he started to toss the ball up and down.

"Hey, guys, why don't we do 'Can you imagines' while we're thinking of a way to display our project?" Tea suggested. 

"Did anyone toss the ball to her?" Yugi quietly asked.

"Actually," Duke said, "that's a good idea."

For those of you not familiar with 'Can you imagines', they're phrases that ask if you can imagine someone doing something that they'd never do. For example:

"Can you imagine Yugi not winning a duel and teaching a lesson in between?"

"Can you imagine Tristan and Duke not acting like idiots around Serenity?"

"Can you imagine Joey not burping like a pig with his mouth full?"

And those are the ones our project-slumped friends used for each other.

"Do I really give a lesson when I duel?" Yugi asked. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, because I don't act like an idiot." both Tristan and Duke declared.

"I don't like mines." Joey stated.

"You don't like a lot of things like school, guys flirting with Serenity, homework, anchovies, pink socks, and especially Kaiba." Yugi explained. "And the list goes on, and on, and on, and on......"

Did I just hear a pencil break?

Joey sat up with the shards of a pencil in each of his hands.

"Joey does not dislike Kaiba, he hates him." Tea reminded.

"Can you IMAGINE KAIBA NOT BEING A JERK, SNOB, BIG-HEAD DUELIST WANNA-BE THAT CAN ACTUALLY WIN A DUEL AGAINST YUGI WITHOUT ANY SUICIDAL CONTENT INVOLVED?!!!!" Joey asked as he thrashed his fist against the wall. "AND CAN YOU IMAGINE HIM GIVIN' A FREAK ABOUT ANYONE BESIDES HIMSELF?!!!!"

"I am a good duelist, aren't I?" Yugi asked himself.

"Whoa, Joey, calm down." Tristan said as he tried to pacify the enraged teen. "He's been pretty mad at the word *Kaiba* since the incident at the pizza joint. It was a really exciting scene." he explained to Duke.

"I know that, idiot, I was there!" Duke reminded. 

"You're wrong, Joey, Kaiba cares for Mokuba, and pretty soon there'll be another one that he cares for, according to Isis." Tea said as she started blankly flipping through pages in her textbook. 

"Likely!" Joey muttered.

"You're talking about that Sikara girl, right?" Duke asked. 

"Actually, Duke, it's _KI-_sara," Yugi explained as he started to look out the window, "and lately, I've been thinking a lot about who the girl will be that'll actually care for Kaiba."

"Nobody can care for Kaiba, it's impossible and every girl that has a brain knows that caring for Kaiba and expecting care back is an instant heartbreak." Joey explained.

"I don't know, Joey, Isis knows a lot about this stuff..." Yugi said while still keeping his focus on the other side of the window.

"Well, whoever the girl is, she'd have to be BEWDiful." Duke joked.

"Serenity's beautiful...." Tristan said as he started to drool again.

Ok...Tristan shouldn't have said that.....

Joey went up to a drooling Tristan, picked him up by the collar, and this is what he said... 

"SERENITY IS NOT _BEWDIFUL_ AND SHE AIN'T EVA GONNA BE _BEWDIFUL_ BECAUSE SERENITY, IN NO WAY IS ASSOCIATED WITH KAIBA AND I AIN'T GONNA DRAG HER IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STUPID HUNT FOR SOME EGYPTIAN BIMBO!!!!!"

"Ok, Joey, whatever you say!" Tristan desperately pleaded as he started shaking his hands like a hummingbird flashes its wings.

"I thought so!" Joey said as he dropped Tristan and turned around. "I don't eva want Serenity involved with this, got that?!"

Tristan, Tea, and Duke nodded frantically.

"Nice going, Tristan. This is almost as smart as the time you decided to go swimming in that virtual lake." Duke hissed.

"Joey," Yugi said, "calm down, you're overreacting."

"No I'm not, Yug. I just don't want anybody confusing my sweet lil' sista for whoever the stupid is that's gonna 'fall in love' with Kaiba." Joey explained.

"But Joey," Yugi said looking out the window once again, "Kisara could be anybody..."

"Who's Kisara?" Serenity asked as she swiftly carried the tray of beverages into the room.

Serenity put down the tray, and looked up at Yugi with expecting eyes.

Honestly, Serenity had heard the others' conversation about Kisara the other day, but she wanted to know more. This new character very much intrigued her.

"Serenity, you're quitting first thing tomorrow." Joey declared.

Obviously, Joey did not want this topic to be discussed around Serenity.

"Huh?" Serenity asked as her attention snapped to Joey.

"Don't mind him, Serenity, Joey's a little mad, but do you really wanna know who Kisara is?" 

"Is she someone important?" Serenity asked as her eyes trailed to Yugi.

"Sort of...." Yugi started to explain.

Honestly, Yugi couldn't ignore the fact that a couple of days after Isis told them of a new spirit that would fall in love with Kaiba, that Serenity, well....He couldn't really explain why he hunched what he hunched-call it an instinct. To put it simply, he found it no coincidence that Serenity COULD not throw that pizza in Kaiba's face. 

"Go on..." Serenity urged.

"Serenity, this is really boring stuff among Yugi and a few others. Do you really wanna hear this?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, it's nothing of much interest." Duke said as he tried to get Serenity out of this subject.

"Yugi..." Joey said with his eyes narrowed.

If Yugi was smart, he'd stop right where he was.

But Yugi felt that Serenity _had _to hear this.

"Long ago, when the pyramids were still young, Egyptian kings played a game of great and terrible power. But these Shadow Games erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the entire world until a brave and powerful pharaoh locked the magic away, imprisoning it within the mystical Millennium Items. Now, 5000 years later, a boy named Yugi unlocks the secret of the Millennium Puzzle. He is infused with ancient magical energies, for destiny has chosen him to defend the world from the return of the Shadow Games just as the brave pharaoh did 5000 years ago...." Yami started to explain as solemnity came into his eyes.

"No way! The pyramids are in Egypt?" Tristan asked.

"o.O Uhh...that's great, Yugi, but can we please get to Kisara?" Serenity asked while she rubbed her neck.

Yami turned into Yugi, and Yugi scowled, "But we were just getting to the good part-oh, alright." He said.

"You see, Serenity, there are seven Millennium Items, each with kind of their own special ability. Some of these items come with spirits. Some of these spirits are evil, like the Millennium Ring's, but some of them are mysterious yet can prove to be your friend, like the Millennium Puzzle's spirit, Yami. (AN: I purposely put no ending quotations there, it's grammar!)

"Now, on with the story. Priest Seth, or who we believe to be the keeper of the Millennium Rod, was on a ka hunt one day with his acquaintance, Shadi. Oh, and a person's ka is almost like a beast spirit. It's like someone's inner essence, but only in a monster form. (AN: Don't sue me if that's not the exact meaning of ka!) While he was on this ka hunt, he and Shadi passed through a village only to find a girl being abused-"

"Why?" Serenity interrupted.

"Because the Egyptians were tan, yet this girl, she was...not like them. She was very white and had these amazing blue eyes. The Egyptians did not like her especially because of her 'disreputable' blue eyes."

"That's like racism!" Serenity angrily exclaimed. "Why would they hurt someone because of what they look like?"

"It's what they believed." Yugi answered. "Anyway, the poor girl was being beaten with stones-"

"Yug, I don't want Serenity hearin' this." Joey declared as he put his hands over Serenity's ears.

Joey would use _any_ excuse to get Serenity away from this conversation. 

"Joey-" Serenity started to say.

"She's not a little girl anymore, Joey. Let her hear this." Yugi explained. "We can't shield her forever from this 'magic'."

Serenity thanked Ra for Yugi's logic.

Joey still kept his hands firm on Serenity's ears.

That corny music that plays when Yugi turns into Yami started playing, and Yugi stared straight at Serenity.

Amazingly, it seemed if as all the static in the world was erased, and it seemed Joey's hands were instantly lifted from Serenity's head, though Joey's hands was still firm in place.

"The poor girl was being beaten by the rocks." Yugi continued.

Joey was amused at the sight of Yugi talking to himself. Joey believed that no one was listening to Yugi, for Tea was staring stupidly into space, Tristan and Duke were fighting on who was right in the issue of whether or not a carrot was a vegetable, Serenity could not possibly hear anything because of Joey's barrier of hands, and Joey was half-heartedly listening to Yugi while his focus was on shielding Serenity's ears. 

But Serenity forgot that Joey's hands were there, and she could hear Yugi with crystal quality precision.

"The girl was in immense pain. When Priest Seth and Shadi saw this act of horrible abuse, Priest Seth ordered for the villagers to be gone, and after they left, Priest Seth offered the girl some water, but she was far too weak to respond."

Serenity flinched at Yugi's words.

Joey didn't know why he had just felt Serenity shiver, so he continued being amused by Yugi talking to himself.

"After trying to get a response out of the girl, Priest Seth decided to leave her there to parish."

Serenity flinched again.

"But thankfully, Shadi told Priest Seth of the ka that was inside this girl in the form of a White Dragon. Intrigued, Priest Seth ordered-" Yugi immediately stopped talking.

"Yugi?" Serenity asked.

Joey was amazed that Serenity could even tell that Yugi was talking and had stopped talking, so the pressure of his hands increased.

Yugi and Yami had stopped with their explanations because the felt another force telling them not to continue. 

Interested by this new force, Yugi and Yami decided to listen.

Yugi snapped back into reality, and answered Serenity, "Sorry, Serenity, that's all of the story that we know."

"But-" Serenity immediately cut herself off. 'Obviously, they don't want me to know something, so I'm gonna have to find out by myself!'

Joey removed his hands from atop Serenity's head. "That's it, the end, the grand finale, and sorry, but there's no sequel!" he said while he dusted off his hands.

"If you're sure, Yugi." Serenity said as she relaxed against the sofa. 

"I'm sure, Serenity." Yugi lied. Yugi had a guess on what this new force, but it was too early to reveal his hypothesis.

"He's sure." Joey assured.

"Oh now I get it! The reincarnation of Kisara is _BEWD_iful because BEWD is short for the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Tea exclaimed.

The rest of the people in the room stared at Tea, then finally answered....

"Can you imagine Tea actually having a clue?"

Tea simply scowled, she blankly started counting numbers on her fingers, and when she counted three fingers she stupidly replied, "You guys I do too have a clue!" 

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Room$*$*$*$*$*

**__**

Later.....

Serenity clutched her stomach in immense pain.

"Don't ever accept takeout from Tea Gardner again!" she told herself as her grip got tighter.

Serenity shut her eyes, trying all the while, to get the pain out of her body.

A lawsuit against Tea for food poisoning was racing through her mind.

Serenity pressed her back against her pillow, shutting her eyes even tighter.

Serenity's grip on her stomach loosened as she felt the pain race out of her stomach and into her head.

Now, her head was throbbing in immense pain.

Serenity's head fell into the V of her thumb and index finger as she began massaging her temples. 

//Please, help me! They want to hurt me! Please, help me!//

Serenity jerked up with bloodshot eyes, for she had not thought that.

//Greetings, Serenity//

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$**$*

R/R! Watch this fic take a dramatic turn next chapter!

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Tootles,

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Celestial Night


	8. White Lie

Chapter Eight: White Lie 

****

Prepare for an extremely long chapter.

I'm evil, you wanna know why? Check out where this chapter begins-yes, that's right, I didn't continue from Chapter Seven's cliffhanger....aren't I evil?

Ok, but I have to stress something: I found this fic on a website that I had NEVER gone to before?!!! Please, let me know if you want to use this fic for a website or something, I'll be happy to let anyone use it, but with my permission please!!!!

Another thing: this is a long, long, long, did I say LONG, chapter. That's why the update took a short while.

Moonlite Goddess: ...........

Kikoken: Thank you soooooooo much! I am such a big fan of your work, and your reviews mean so much to me!

kehkanSKlover: Thank you, and don't worry...the chapter's here!

steel-angel-wing-weaver: Oh thank you so much! Actually, I am a writer, seriously! Anyway, your review made me feel so appreciated!

Kaylie: Tea's an idiot, right? Anyway, Thank you soooooooo much! I personally hope they don't make Kaiba untouchable, that would really and truly suck!

Vendred13: Thank you! I'm glad you like the Tea/Tristan humor!

Neo_elite: Don't worry, you'll see what's coming next if you read the chapter. Thanks!

InspirationWriter: Thanks *.~

Luthien-Anwaman: lol thanks

kehkanSKlover: YES! The chapter's finally here!

Sakura Kaiba: I remembered you this time! Thank you, you write me the sweetest reviews! Thanks for reviewing!

Power-of-Storms: Wanna see what's gonna happen next? Go on, read the chapter....

Serryn: Wanna see more? Go on, read the chapter, it's calling you..... "Serryn! Serryn" can't you just hear it?

PinkStarz: Thanks, and I'll try to add more description and I'll try to make this fic pick up its pace.

I'm-A-Shady-Gurl: "Ultimate Coolness" hmmm...I like the sound of that! Thank you!

Mistress Night: Hiba, you're my sister. Your reviews don't count: You don't even like Seto/Serenity! But thanks anyway...

pisces14071: Thank you, you'll see what's coming next. 

Ice14: Thank you!

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$

**__**

"You are fearing for your life, am I correct?"

The dark figure nodded. "Can't you help me? You have such a strong authority."

"We live in different times now; I can only do to you what my host does with his body."

"I see, but may I ask permission for another question?"

"Permission granted,"

"We live in different times now, as you say, so am I still in danger?"

"There might be a number of people out there that want the incredible power that you come with. It's an outstanding strength that many will go to extreme lengths to get."

"I understand, but there's still one worry left on my mind..."

"Which is?"

"I am worried about my host....I'm worried about her safety......"

..............................................................................................................................................

"JOEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" were the screams coming from Serenity's room that very early morning.

$*$*$*$*$*The Living Room$*$*$*$*$*

"Joey..." Serenity said as she tugged on her brother's sleeve, "This time it wasn't a dream, I know it wasn't! The voices in my head were too real to be dreams, you've gotta believe me!"

Serenity's clutch on her brother increased.

"Sheesh, Serenity, I believe ya, honest I do!" Joey looked down at his scared-to-death sister, "But, Serenity..."

Serenity took her face out of her brother's shirt, "Joey," she said as her eyes began to tear, "don't you believe me?"

Joey looked down at his extremely frightened sister. "Serenity, I do believe ya, but are ya _sure_ you heard 

voices up in your room?"

"I'm positive I did," she said in a whisper. "I-I can't explain it, but there were voices in my room, two of them. I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I heard, and I heard voices."

Joey looked down skeptically at his sister, "Ok, Serenity, did any of the voices sound just a little familiar?"

Serenity opened her mouth to answer, but....

Suddenly there was a knocking at the door.

"Who is it?" Joey yelled, while his fixed stare fell to the door.

"It's me, Yugi," Yugi said from behind the door.

Serenity let out a small gasp at Yugi's name.

Joey looked once again skeptically at his sister.

Joey left Serenity's side for a moment to answer the door.

Joey opened the door to find a Yugi with an "Are you gonna let me in, or am I gonna have to freeze out here?" expression on.

Joey mouthed the word, "Serenity," he let Yugi in, and went straight back to the aid of Serenity.

"What's the emergency, Joey?" Yugi curiously asked as he saw Serenity wrap her arms around her brother.

"Serenity thinks tha' there was summon in her room last nigh'." Joey explained, "She got really scared an' came ta me with a white face this morning."

Yugi looked straight at Serenity with a puzzled look on his face.

"She was just abou' ta answer ma question befoa' ya came." Joey explained.

Yugi's stare went once again to Serenity, and was a bit shocked with what he saw.

"It was him," Serenity at long last answered, pointing to Yugi all the while.

Poor Yugi....

Joey wanted to know why_ Yugi_ was in his _little sister's _room, at _night_, while she was very _frightened_.

Joey was nearly ready to pummel Yugi to death on the account of he started to pick Yugi up from off the floor, and started cursing him with such language that I cannot use because I am trying to keep this fic child safe.

"YOU SICK MONSTER!!! MY OWN SISTA'?!!!!! I SHOULD HAVE YOU ARRESTED YA' PERVERT-"

Serenity phased back into reality for a second. "No, Joey, it wasn't Yugi," she said as she watched Joey frantically shake Yugi. "It was..._him,"_ she said with a single point to the Millennium Puzzle.

"Yami?" Both Yugi and Joey asked.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

"That's impossible, Serenity. Yami couldn't have visited you last night. I would've known." Yugi explained as he stroked the puzzle.

"I'm trying to tell you, Serenity, it was a dream." Joey reminded.

"I know what I heard, and it was a girl and him having a conversation." Serenity explained, a finger yet again pointed at the puzzle.

"Are you sure, Yugi?" Joey asked, "You're sure you don't sleepwalk, right?"

"_No, I don't sleepwalk_. Serenity must've been having a bad dream, that's all."

"UGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! I WASN'T DREAMING!!!! I HEARD TWO VOICES LAST NIGHT. WHY WON'T ANYBODY BELIEVE ME? AM I GOING CRAZY OR SOMETHING?" Serenity asked as she fell to the floor with her head in her hands. Tears welled up in her eyes. 

"No of course not, Serenity," Joey soothed, "you just had a very real dream, and it got you scared, that's all. It happens to all of us. You're not going crazy." he calmed as he put his arms around his sister. 

"Your brother's right. Our minds can play tricks on us, and we all get fooled once in a while." Yugi explained.

"But...who was the girl?" Serenity's small voice asked as it came out of her brother's protective arms.

Joey and Yugi exchanged glances. 

"Maybe...Serenity, like I said before, our mind plays tricks with us. Maybe the girl you 'heard' was a figment of your imagination. A reflection of something. Why that girl was having a conversation with...Yami, is beyond me." Yugi explained.

"In my imagination?" Serenity asked as she looked up at Yugi.

"Uh-huh. It was all just a bad dream." Joey once again said.

Serenity looked down at her weakened, bent knees. "But...."

"But?" Yugi and Joey asked as they both looked down at her.

"It all seemed so real..." she mumbled to herself.

*RING**RING**RING*

"Don't pick it up," Yugi said with a fixed stare on the telephone, "it could be from Tea."

"I agree," Joey said as he stared at the phone.

Serenity released herself from the grasp of her brother. She Crawled out from his arms and ignored the vehement shaking heads from both Yugi and Joey. Despite the fact that Tea could've been on the other line, Serenity rolled her eyes, and she went to the phone.

*Hello? Umm yes, this is she. Yes, yes, sorry about that. I'll be in work later today, yes, yes. Family emergency, really. I promise it won't happen-*

Ok, so somebody else holds the phone now...

*'K, listen, Serenity ain't comin' t'work today, and ya can tell Moneybags notta be surprised if she ain't show up fo' work *eva again*. Got that? Good!* and with that, Joey hung up the phone.

"Joey!" Serenity cried. 

"Ya wa' just on the floor, scared half to death, cryin' about summin' you heard in your room last nigh'." Joey reminded, "So, therefo', you shouldn't go t'work *eva again*." 

"But you two said it was all just a dream: Nothing to be scared of," Serenity objected.

"She's got you there," Yugi pointed out.

"We need the money." Serenity said, "My job gives me enough to pay every month of college's tuition fees in about a week of work."

"I don't like you getting money from Kaiba!" Joey yelled as he turned his back to Serenity, the phone still in his hand.

"Is that it, Joey? You don't like me working for Kaiba because I get money from him?" 

"That, and about a million other reasons that Joey has written in his 'I hate Kaiba' book." Yugi explained.

"I've got to go to work, Joey." Serenity said as she went for the steps that led to the hallway that led to her room. 

"No, you don't!" Joey yelled as he went after her.

Serenity turned around so she was now facing her brother on one of the steps, "Joey, you know the chicken I cooked for you the other night?"

Joey slowly nodded, not liking where she was going with this...

"I bought that chicken, and the ingredients for the marinade with the money I got from work."

*.* "I-I ate f-food from K-KAIBA'S money..." Joey asked as a shiver of silence befell him.

"Mmmm-Hmmm," Serenity replied as if this was something casual to say. "If my memory is correct, you really enjoyed that chicken..." she reminded as she finished crossing the steps and entered the hallway to her room.

"Serenity, WE NEED TO TALK!" Joey yelled as he followed his sister once again. 

Now, Yugi was left alone in the living room, simply listening to Joey knocking on Serenity's door, and Serenity ignoring him all the while. 

//So, Yami?// Yugi called.

//Yugi?// Yami answered.

//I never got a chance to ask you, how was your little rendezvous with Kisara?//

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Outside KaibaCorp$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

"Joey, it was really sweet of you to drive me to work, and I'm glad you're starting to accept my job." Serenity said as she unbuckled herself.

"Serenity, we're not through talking." Joey seriously replied as he maintained a fixed stare on the road in front of him.

Serenity scowled, "Joey, we'll talk when I get home from work, ok?" She asked as she tried to unlock the door.

Joey kept silent.

"Hey... ugh...Joey," Serenity called as she pushed a great deal against the car door. "My-ugh- door is stuck." She said as her force got harder.

Joey remained silent.

It was rather odd that the car door was stuck because Joey's car was a very old (and I mean very old) Toyota model. Its hinges were loose, the once cherry red paint was now brown rust remains, and most people would bet that the condition of the car would cause it to fall apart when the wind blew. Now, Serenity had no idea that it was Joey's _intentions_ to drive Serenity to work that day: He had made some adjustments....

"Joey, this stupid car has-ugh-had its last drive. The-ugh-stupid door won't open-ugh!" Serenity very agitatedly groaned. 

Joey, yet again, kept still.

Joey's still silence was now pissing Serenity off.

"Joey, move over. I'll go out through your door." Serenity ordered as she went for the only other door in Joey's vehicle.

"Sorry, sis," Joey said as his barricade of an arm blocked Serenity's way, "We really need to talk."

"Joey, I don't have time for this." Serenity restlessly pointed out. "Please let me out so I can go to work. We'll talk later, I promise. I know you don't like my job, but please, I need the money for college, and you know about mom."

Joey's ears perked up when he heard 'mom', "There are.. other ways of getting money," He slowly explained. 

"Please, Joey," Serenity said, "This job is our ticket to the money we desperately need."

Joey did not move a muscle.

"Fine, Joey," Serenity sighed, "Be like that." and then she started pushing to get out of the door. "Screw this door-ugh!" she moaned. 

//You want to leave the car, no?// what Serenity thought was her conscience asked.

"Yes!" Serenity answered as her anger for her brother started building up. 

Joey just watched Serenity struggle. All the while listening to her talk to herself.

//Why do you want to leave the car?//

"Because I need the money!" Serenity said to herself. Once again, she was trying to open the auto-locked door. 

//You need the money for yourself, am I correct, for your education?//

"No, I have better reasons now!" Serenity complained as she cursed the stupid door, and her brother for being such a pompous jerk.

//What kind of reasons?//

"I don't know ¾my mom needs the money. She's very sick!" Serenity explained.

"I know, Serenity, but wut does mom have to do with this?" Joey asked as his attention perked again to the word "mom".

//What does leaving the vehicle have to do with getting money?// the supposed conscience asked.

"Because I need to go to work, to get the money." Serenity explained as she gave up trying to open the door. "I need to earn the money." she panted to herself as she dejectedly pressed against the ripped-leather passenger seat. 

"I didn't know it meant that much to ya." Joey said as he stared at his defeated sister. 

//How will you get money from your job?//

"I don't know." Serenity heavily breathed, "My boss will pay me."

//Your boss?//

"Yes, my boss," Serenity replied.

"Serenity, are ya okay?" Joey skeptically asked. "Do ya need ta see the docta' or somethin'?"

//Who's your boss?//

"Kaiba, Seto Kaiba." Serenity answered.

"Serenity?" Joey very worriedly asked his sister.

//Are you saying that you _need_ your boss?// 

"No! Of course not!" Serenity way too quickly responded.

//But you need to leave the vehicle so you can go to work to earn your money from your boss to help your mother. That money can only come from Seto Kaiba, according to you, because he is your boss.//

"But that doesn't mean I need him," Serenity responded, "It means that the paycheck I receive, _from_ him is necessary to me."

//But you need his money, am I correct?//

"I thought we went over this," Serenity said, "Yes, I do need his money."

"Serenity, are ya sure tha' you're 'kay?" Joey once again asked to the speaking-to-herself girl.

//If you need his money, then you need him.//

"That's a stupid thing to say," Serenity replied, "The money I get from work doesn't matter from whose wallet it came from. For all I care, my boss could be Duke Devlin. It just so happens that my boss is my brother's worst enemy, and Yugi's arch rival. Once again, I'm saying that I don't care that Kaiba is my boss, I just need the money." 

//You need _his _money.//

"NO! I NEED THE MONEY FROM MY BOSS! JUST BECAUSE MY BOSS IS SETO KAIBA DOES NOT MEAN THAT I NEED HIM! GOT THAT?"

"Serenity, I think ya betta' get sum rest." Joey said as he tried to reach his hand out to his little sister.

//Fine, Serenity, you say you need him financially.//

"No I don't-I mean no I didn't! I said that I need the money I get from work, and Kaiba is the-"

//Supplier of that money.// the supposed conscience answered, //Seto Kaiba is the financial supplier of the "necessary" money.//

"You're right about that." Serenity hesitantly replied, "But that doesn't mean I _need_ him." 

Joey was terribly worried over his little sister's situation: She was having a conversation with herself, and about Kaiba of all people!

//In a way, you do need him. You have to admit that.//

'Shut-up, stupid conscience! Leave me alone!' Serenity angrily thought to herself unknown to the fact that her eyes were giving in to a heavy sleep. 

//Hey, I heard that!//

Serenity squinted her eyes, trying to get rid of the innocent preaching voice within her.

And her eyelids got heavier and heavier....

//You can't get rid of me that easily.//

'Wanna bet?'

//Just admit that you need Seto Kaiba in one way or another, then I'll leave (for the while).//

'What is your fascination with Kaiba anyway?!'

//Because you think of me as your "conscience", then I suppose it's _your_ fascination that you're complaining about.//

'Shut-up! Consciences can be ridden of!'

//_Consciences _can be ridden of?//

'Yes, and that's what you are. You're a persistent voice in my head that won't go away.'

//Just admit that you need Seto Kaiba.//

'Fine! I need Kaiba because of his money, meaning that I need him financially.'

Silence.

'I got rid of you, didn't I?' Serenity victoriously asked.

//That's not what I asked you to do.//

'Yes it is.'

//No, it's not. I asked you to admit that you need Seto Kaiba.//

'And that's what I did.'

//You made what I asked you to say too long.//

'You want me to actually say that I need him?'

//They're three simple words.//

'Will you go away if I do?'

//For the while, of course.//

'What do you mean "for the while"?'

//That's not important.//

'Why should I say that I need him?'

Silence.

'Stupid conscience,' Serenity mumbled in her dreams.

//Consider this: A whole day of a "Conscience" that will keep persisting you to say that you need Seto Kaiba. With a mind that continually thinks that, you never know what might slip out, and in front of whom, might I add....//

'You wouldn't, 'cause you're a figment of my imagination. I can get rid of you easily if I put my focus on it.'

//"Figment of your imagination," Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is what Yugi classified that girl in your dreams last night as, am I correct?//

'You know about the girl? Was she really a figment of-'

//All answers in good time, but first, there's a task that I asked you to do...// 

"Serenity, Serenity please wake up!" Joey demanded as he tried to wake his now dreaming sister.

"_I need him...happy now?_" Serenity mumbled in her sleep.

Joey's worry immediately became a blending, red wave of jealousy and anger at this last phrase....

"You need who?" Joey angrily asked.

//That's all I wanted to hear.//

Let's phase back into reality now, shall we?

*Bam!* And Serenity's eyes starting slightly opening, a bit at first, but within ten seconds, she was tiredly fluttering her eyelids. 

She looked around for a second, expecting a girl about her age in her company, but, instead, she found a mad, jealous, pretty much steamed Joey, and she wasn't in a purply/dreamy aura land that she was in a moment ago.

Have you forgotten, Serenity? You're still stuck in Joey's car, right in front of KaibaCorp...

"Huh? Oh, Joey, why did you want me to say that I need-" Serenity asked, still in a dream, until she heard her wake-up call.

*Swish*, and the passenger car door opened with a creaky swing, all by itself.

Cool! This is starting to be Serenity's luck day.

"Thanks, Joey," Serenity thanked, thinking that Joey opened the door for her.

Run, run, run, Serenity! Knowing Joey, that door won't stay open for long!

"What the-" Joey was left saying as Serenity took the opening to her advantage. "Where do ya think you're goin'?" he asked as one foot of Serenity's left the car.

"To work, silly! You should get that door fixed, it locks, then automatically opens." Serenity explained completely oblivious to the fact that Joey had auto-locked both doors of the vehicle. They were supposed to remain shut. 

Serenity, you must be confused for you just thanked Joey for opening the door, but according to your explanation, the car door "automatically opens"? 

Serenity, you need to get your minds-I mean mind in order.

Serenity left the car, and Joey watched as she jogged slightly to the front doors of KaibaCorp.

"Wait!" Joey cried as he tried to get out from his door, but to his surprise, it was locked. 

How did Serenity get out, when **both** doors were supposed to be locked?

Joey was left dumbfounded.

Before he could unlock the door and catch up to Serenity, Serenity was already off and into the KaibaCorp headquarters. 

*Swish* And the passenger side door swung itself shut. 

Joey stared at the door, still firm in his place, Serenity off his mind for a while.

"I need to talk to Tristan," Joey muttered to himself as he thought about the guy who was "supposed" to make the auto-lock adjustments.

AN: My hands hurt, and that's only the first part of the chapter. :(

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

A nearly-silent buzz was what Serenity heard as the security system scanned the lines of her retina.

Like the door of Joey's trodden car, the sketched Blue Eyes White Dragon doors automatically opened, but with a bit more class. 

Normally, Serenity would expect to find files awaiting her on her desk and the sounds of Mokuba beating his video games with no mercy from his playroom down the hall, but when she walked in today.....

Something didn't feel right.

Perhaps it was because she was late....Yeah, that's probably it.

Today, she didn't find Mokuba wearing down his video games, she found him practically glued to the black couch. He looked a bit anxious, well, that was Serenity's opinion.

"Good morning, Mokuba," she greeted with a nod.

Oddly, Mokuba did not respond. He kept his vision straight at the black onyx bookcase. Usually Mokuba would always enthusiastically greet (exchange gossip with) Serenity when he first saw her....Yeah it's probably because she was late that the whole day seemed a bit disheveled. 

"Good morning, Mokuba," Serenity tried again as she waited for the young boy's attention to snap back into reality.

"Did you know that Bolidaman Inc. has a meeting with Seto today?" Mokuba asked, vision still on the bookcase.

"No, it doesn't," Serenity started to explain, "Your brother has no meetings scheduled today, and I would've especially remembered if there was one with _that _incorporation." Serenity enlightened as she crossed her arms, "Is that why you were so dazed out today?"

"I wasn't 'dazed out'." Mokuba clarified with a martyred look of innocence upon his face. "Anyway, we got the phone call from Calista's secretary this morning, while you were _supposed_ to be at work. What kind of family emergency was it?" he asked as one eyebrow rose skeptically.

"Mokuba," Serenity said as she lowered herself down to Mokuba's level on the couch, "Can you keep a secret?" she asked as she considered herself who she was asking this question to.

"Yes," Mokuba made clear, arousing Serenity's suspicion, "What's the secret?" he asked as intrigue filled his large black eyes.

Serenity looked unsurely at the boy whose hobby was eavesdropping...

Awwww, be nice, Serenity. How can you resist Mokuba?

Besides, which secret do you have that you can't possible share with the readers?

Oh yeah, that one......

"Well, it's about this _girl_ who I think I saw-anyway, her name's Kisara-" Serenity tried to explain, but was immeadiately cut off by Mokuba. 

"Bolidaman Inc.'s gonna come soon. I think Calista herself might come as a representative, again." Mokuba quickly supplied.

"Uhh...yeah, Mokuba," Serenity hesitantly responded. It almost seemed as if Mokuba was avoiding this topic. But that's impossible, because Mokuba knew nothing of Kisara, right?

'I don't need to hear more about this topic,' Mokuba thought to himself. 

Although Serenity found no way that Mokuba could possibly use the expected prompt arrival of Bolidaman Inc. as an excuse to avoid the conversation, she got the clue and went to her desk. 

Serenity started checking her computer, the substitute secretary had probably filled the time slot that said that Calista Bolidaman's arrival was to be expected in about fifteen minutes....

She should be getting files ready; KaibaCorp and Bolidaman Inc. had a strong affiliation, meaning a lot of files. Of course, as a secretary, Serenity's job was to get files, coffee for her boss, his dry cleaning...

But this was the real anime world.

Serenity found the need to get files so soon futile, 'Like anybody really shows up for a meeting on time.' She relaxed for a minute, and expected Calista to come in about an hour. 

My how you always expect the unexpected, yet still you're surprised when the expected turns exactly into what you least expected...

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

"Hey," Mokuba called from his watching post at the window, "She's here," he said as he pressed his nose against the large window.

Serenity rolled her eyes, "That's impossible, Mokuba," according to the clock, Calista had another 42 minutes until her late entrance.

"No, it's not," Mokuba said pointing out the massive window, "She's here, Serenity."

Serenity once again rolled her eyes and decided to humor Mokuba. So she went out of her comfy leather chair to the grand window.

"Mokuba...." Serenity started as she turned her head to look out the park-faced window.

And sure enough, a pure white limo with a silver lining had just finished slithering into the KaibaCorp driveway.

"Told you so," Mokuba rubbed in.

Serenity rolled her eyes as the clock struck twelve.

"Don't insult Calista until I get back with Kaiba's coffee." She told Mokuba from over her shoulder as she went off to the cafeteria.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Mokuba was once again pressed against the black couch, awaiting the great Calista Bolidaman to enter.

And of course, he heard the annoying click-clack of her shoes from down the cerulean-tiled hall. Mokuba rolled his eyes, it seemed to be contagious. He heard the soft buzz of the biometric machine scanning Bolidaman's retina. 

He started laughing when he thought about the possibility of the biometric machine going haywire, and lasers burning Calista's eyes.

The sketched Blue Eyes White Dragon doors elegantly opened, giving way to Calista. Much to Mokuba's disappointment, Calista's perfect sapphire eyes were still in place-no burns at all.

Calista, looking flawless as usual, looked around the onyx ornamented room. Her shoes made the subtle click-clack even as she walked on the soft black rug. She noticed the mouse called Mokuba quietly minding his own business, the remains of a smile on his face. 

Calista kept walking, with no attention towards Mokuba, to Serenity's desk. 

"You _did_ receive my phone call, right?" she asked as she started fingering Serenity's desk.

"I don't know. Do I look like the secretary to you?"

Calista pushed a cup of coffee on Serenity's desk more towards the edge of the desk. Therefore, the coffee was more likely to spill, and Serenity was the only candidate to get the blame for being so irresponsible. 

"Please, even _I_ wouldn't put you to _her_ level. But you _did_ schedule the appointment, right?" 

Mokuba rolled his eyes for the hundredth time in two minutes, "Yeah, but tell me, Bolidaman: Why did you call a meeting, and on such short notice too?"

Calista started snickering to herself, "The giga chips arrived early. I just thought that I should be the one to tell your brother." she explained as she finally turned around to face Mokuba, who was still sitting on the couch.

"It's called a telephone," Mokuba mumbled.

"_I_ wanted to tell him, _in person_." Bolidaman explained, "You know how much this means to our companies."

You see, the giga-chips were a crucial part of a new, top-secret project that Bolidaman Inc. and KaibaCorp, ok actually only KaibaCorp was working on, but Bolidaman Inc. specialized in the complex technology that it took to establish this top-secret project. The truth is, Kaiba had been working on this project for the past couple of years, and now that the technology was finally created and here....

"You didn't have to come over, _really_." Mokuba said as he started scanning the Bolidaman up and down. 

Calista felt Mokuba's scanning stare.

Calista scowled as Mokuba, still perched on the couch, started to inspect her. "May I help you?" she asked, very irritated.

"Have you ever been to, or are you considering a trip to Egypt?" Mokuba finally asked.

Calista gave Mokuba the same stare that people usually associated with Tea and Tristan: You're an idiot. "And this is coming from where, I might ask?"

"Nowhere," Mokuba said casually as he got up from the couch and started walking towards Bolidaman. "My brother's in there, and Serenity's serving his coffee right now. He's expecting you." 

"Good," Bolidaman whispered, "Then everyone's in their rightful rank." She derided as she went off towards the direction of the office.

"You're not allowed to go in there until the secretary checks that you're on time and are expected." Mokuba explained, forgetting who he was talking to, as he tried to keep Bolidaman away from Kaiba's office.

"Yes well, your brother is no doubt expecting me, and your secretary is a-Anyway, Mokuba, do let me go in and do worry about your own matters," she practically ordered as her body kept promenading towards the office doors. 

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity stood behind Kaiba's desk, awaiting his orders, as Kaiba murmured to himself of how he could've avoided an affiliation with Bolidaman Inc. if he had kept Nezbit. 

"Stupid, dim-witted reject-couldn't work a girl so he decided to work computers instead...." he said to himself as he continued to curse Big Four.

Kaiba didn't necessarily _have to_ form an affiliation with Bolidaman Inc., in fact, he really didn't want to. But at the time, there were only two companies that had the technology (or had the capability) of creating a new technology that would revolutionize the way people saw the virtual image of a Duel Monsters' hologram. Unfortunately, Kaiba had been rejected by the other company for an unimportant reason. Anyway, Bolidaman Inc. was the rebound company: It was fairly new, and it had the money needed for such a technology. KaibaCorp specialized in _designing _new technology. _Creating _the parts needed to make such technology was a whole new question.....Kaiba was quite frustrated at the moment, if only he had someway of bringing back Nezbit, surely he could somewhat help with the technology! Anything as long as Kaiba could end his affiliation with Bolidaman Inc. 

Serenity started giggling. Obviously, she hated Nezbit: He captured Tristan's body! But she tried to cease her laughter immediately, for it was wrong to laugh at others, even nerdy Nezbit. Kaiba knew she was laughing, and he enjoyed making her laugh, especially when it came to insulting others.

"Mokuba, let me into the office! Your screwy secretary isn't here to approve me!" Bolidaman's scratchy voice shrieked as she tried to push Mokuba out of the way of the office doors.

"Rules, are rules!" Mokuba objected as he held onto Bolidaman's jacket to keep her inches away from the handle of the office doors.

Kaiba rolled his eyes as he tried to relieve an aching headache, "Wheeler," he barked as he massaged his temples, "Did you get the files?"

"Well...ummm.....the thing is..." she started explaining from behind as she rubbed her neck nervously, "The funny thing is I was going..." she started explaining once again, but was cut off by the loud bang of the office doors opening.

*Bang* "Seto...ugh...the new ugh...tech-WILL YOU GET THE HELL OFF OF ME?" Bolidaman crossly screamed at Mokuba as she tried to enter the office. Mokuba's grip on her pin-striped jacket had not yet wavered. 

"I was supposed to let her in," Serenity said to herself as she thought of Bolidaman's nerve to ignore Kaiba's rule. 

"Mokuba," Kaiba simply said as he rose from his desk. Narrowed blue eyes giving Mokuba a severe glare.

Mokuba returned the look with an expression that read, "Seto, we can still call security and have her removed from the premises!"

Kaiba simply turned to Serenity and ordered, "Get the files, Wheeler, and escort Mokuba to his playroom."

"Awwww, come on!" Mokuba whined.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba," Serenity replied with an additional nod. "Let's go, Mokuba," Serenity said as she went past her boss's desk and on towards Mokuba....

But not before she brushed Bolidaman's shoulder.

Serenity stopped midway in her journey to Mokuba at Calista.

$*$*$*$*$*Flashback$*$*$*$*$*

**_"They want to hurt me, it is because of my skin, my hair, my eyes...."_**

$*$*$*$*$*End Flashback$*$*$*$*$*

"Owww...." Serenity moaned as she grabbed the sides of her head right next to Calista. Calista, who was not approving of being so close to a Wheeler, stepped a few inches back and watched Serenity's odd behavior.

"Freak," Calista snickered.

"Wheeler," Kaiba said one more time, "I said get the......"

"Serenity," Mokuba called, making sure that she was in her right mind.

Serenity started drowning out everybody's else's words. Her head was really hurting, like her "dream" last night. She wanted to fall on the floor, for this pain would not cease. Serenity started to feel motion leave her, but she kept herself still.

Serenity did not fall on the floor, instead, she opened her flamboyant blue eyes and stared around the room, that is until her eyes fell on Bolidaman...

Serenity's blue eyes opened widely at the sight of Calista. She started speaking, but a whisper at first, until her voice got louder, and she accompanied actions with her words.

"You-you must go! They'll hurt you as well, you're like me!" she ordered Calista as she tried budging Calista out the office doors. "Please, it's for your own good!" she yelled once again. This time, coming closer to Calista, but Calista started moving farther and farther away from Serenity.

"Get...away...from...me," Calista hesitantly said, "Seto, get this thing away from me!" she whimpered.

"Wheeler, you idiot, didn't you hear a word that I said?" Kaiba heatedly asked as he started coming closer to Serenity, wondering as well as Mokuba if Serenity was in her right mind...

"In her right mind," these four people have no idea how literal that term is...

"They will hurt you," Serenity's mouth said, coming subtlety closer to Bolidaman, and this time, finally getting a hold of her arm, "You must leave, NOW!" she swayed as she started to once again move Calista.

"Serenity, please," Mokuba said trying to come up to the oddly acting teenager. 

Finally, Serenity's grasp on Calista got tighter, and Bolidaman sniveled in pain as she tried to release herself without breaking a nail. 

"Please, leave," Serenity once again ordered, this time, pushing Calista away from the others, and more towards her office. 

"GET OFF OF ME, YOU RETART!" Calista shrieked yet again, as she tried to get the Wheeler as much away from her as humanly possible.

"I'm doing this for your own good!" Serenity explained as tears welled up within her eyes, "Please listen to me!" 

Calista and Serenity were now standing directly between Serenity's office and the end of Kaiba's office.

Calista stared in thunder-struck horror at Serenity: Calista had always valued and thought of her sparkling sapphire eyes much prettier than Serenity's muddy hazel ones. 

"Did you...did you _change your eye color_?" Calista asked in sheer shock.

"What the hell do they thing they're doing?" Kaiba angrily asked as he tried to make his way over to the two girls. He was not amused by this one of the Wheeler's antics.

"Wait," Mokuba said grabbing onto one of the sides of his brother's trench coat, "Remember what Isis told you before?"

Kaiba swiped his brother's hands off of his clothing, "I don't believe in that crap." he declared as he told his body to move, yet still he stayed firm in place, not moving although he desperately wanted to smack some sense into Serenity. He could've moved, but it's almost like he chose not to.

Now all Kaiba could do was listen to Calista and Serenity's conversation...

"Leave!" Serenity yelled as she pushed Calista out of the office doors and into her own office.

$*$*$*$*$*Serenity's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Now Bolidaman was on the edge of Serenity's desk. She tried backing away from Serenity, but Serenity moved swiftly, as if she wasn't walking but floating.

Calista was now grasping the edge of Serenity's desk, and Serenity was now standing directly in front of the frightened girl, right in front of the desk.

"I-I'm w-warning you: Stay b-back." She frightfully whimpered as her hands searched in back for an object on Serenity's desk to use against Serenity. Unfortunately, Bolidaman's search ended quickly. 

Calista felt something warm around her butt, warm...like coffee. She jumped around, now pointing her back to Serenity, she saw the spilled cup of coffee that was irresponsibly left too close to the edge of the desk. 

Poor Calista, that was a new suit too....

Calista started ignoring Serenity for the while, and felt the rich brown liquid around the bottom part of her skirt.

Mokuba came out of the office, leaving his petrified brother, only to find Serenity standing quietly behind Bolidaman, as Calista started examining a brown stain on her skirt.

"Did Calista have an accident?" Mokuba teased in a baby voice.

"This was a **_GUCCI_** dress!" she screamed in pure horror. She felt Serenity's grasp once again around her arms. 

She turned around only to find Serenity solemnly staring at her, "Please go," Serenity a little bit more than mouthed.

Calista this time started backing away from Serenity towards the main entrance. 

"You must go, now!" Serenity yelled, aggressively pushing Bolidaman right at the main Blue Eyes White Dragon door. 

"What the-" Mokuba started. Mokuba started cautiously approaching Serenity, but immediately backed away as soon as he saw Bolidaman coming closer and closer to Serenity, and she didn't look too happy....

"FREAK! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH ME!" Bolidaman screamed, coming forward and pushing Serenity back even more forcefully onto the black couch, that all of a sudden didn't feel so comfortable when Serenity banged against it. 

"Serenity!" Mokuba screamed, coming to the aid of the fallen girl.

Serenity was knocked unconscious as soon as her hit head one of the couch's hard arm rests. She fell and sprawled out with her hand on one of the couch's arm rests. Her legs were disheveled, and her face was tilted sideways. 

Eyes, of course, locked tight....

Calista stared at Serenity for a second, then came up to the knocked-out girl. "I hate you, I really and truly hope you know that." she hissed. She was about to leave, but knowing Bolidaman, she came up even closer to Serenity.

"I bet the feeling's mutual." Mokuba. who was now at Serenity's side, muttered. 

Now Serenity's unconscious face was inches away from Calista's descended expression of hatred. Calista viciously stabbed one of her heels onto Serenity's sleeping legs. Calista saw Serenity's legs jolt up a little, "Savage," Bolidaman muttered.

"Get away from her!" Mokuba hissed back as he tried to trip Calista with one of his sneakers, but to no success. 

Calista stepped more towards the sketched doors. She stared at the magisterial Blue Eyes White Dragon for a moment. "Ugly monster, reminds me of the sleeping savage."

She turned herself around, not to be facing the doors of Kaiba's office. "SETO! THE AFFILIATION IS OFF! MY COMPANY HAS THE TECHNOLOGY YOU NEED, AND GUESS WHAT: I AM _NOT _WILLING TO SHARE IT WITH _THIS_ COMPANY! SO GOOD-BYE, SETO KAIBA!" she declared with a glare at Serenity. "I hope you die," she cursed.

The Blue Eyes White Dragon doors magically parted, as if the Blue Dragon itself was shooing Calista away.

"Stupid company," Bolidaman mumbled as she left the collapsed Serenity, Mokuba, Kaiba, the affiliation and KaibaCorp forever.

And she walked through those sketched doors with not a mere trace of a second thought.

And that was the last that Bolidaman showed her face around there again....Well, at least for the time being.

As feeling returned to Kaiba....well... Let's just hope that since he didn't _see _the complete conversation that he also didn't _hear_ the conversation as well. He hated his affiliation with Bolidaman Inc., but they _did_ have the technology that he needed, and they were so close to creating this new technology....

And if Kaiba did hear correctly and Bolidaman Inc. really did end the affiliation... 

Poor Serenity, she was in trouble...

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

"Serenity," Mokuba called yet again to wake the sleeping girl, "Please wake-up," he hoped as he slightly pushed the girl to wake her up.

"Where's Bolidaman?" a cold voice asked from the back of the room. Mokuba, who was afraid to answer this question, tried to ignore it.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba asked.

Mokuba still pretended to be deaf and still continued to wake Serenity.

"What's wrong with _her_?" Kaiba asked, changing the subject of the conversation, to Mokuba's relief.

"Well, Bolidaman knocked her against the couch really forcefully, and I think Serenity hit her hard on the couch's armrest." Mokuba explained as he pushed Serenity again. "And Bolidaman also jabbed her shoe into Serenity's knee! You could sue for abuse because of that." He said, turning around to face his brother who was coming closer to the two bent on the floor.

"Where did Bolidaman go?" the older Kaiba asked, not caring about the fainted girl on the floor.

Mokuba gave his brother a vicious scowl, "Well, _she_ went marching off, right after she ended the affiliation. I knew that she couldn't be trusted." 

Kaiba looked in Serenity's direction, "She really and ended the deal?"

Now, Mokuba was confused on whom Kaiba was talking about when he said "she". "Either way," Mokuba started, "the deal is really and truly off." Mokuba started scanning Serenity up-and-down. "Why do you think she tried to get Bolidaman to leave?" he asked in what was almost a whisper. 

"_Because she knew that the villagers would abuse the blonde-haired girl because she was different. She was only trying to save Bolidaman_." Kaiba answered in a monotone voice.

Mokuba gave a sharp look to his brother, "_What did you just say_?"

Kaiba started massaging his temples once again. "I said the effect of Isis's fairytales on me. Stupid mental-Anyway," he quickly explained with another look in Serenity's direction, "We need to get her onto the couch."

"You lift her, I'm too weak." Mokuba quickly supplied using any excuse to see his brother, if only for a split-second, hold Serenity.

"Get a guard to do it," the older Kaiba responded, "Mokuba, call Kluge and ask him to put Miss Wheeler onto the couch, and after that's done," he gave both Mokuba and the unconscious one on the floor a look, "I don't want any interruptions. I'll be in my office, and when she wakes up, tell her that."

"Meanie," Mokuba said to himself. "You know, Seto, you really shouldn't fire Serenity. In case that was what you were thinking. I think it's all Bolidaman's fault. You should real-"

"Mokuba, I don't want to hear it."

And Kaiba marched off into his office-he really and truly had a lot of thinking to do, and a very important call to make...

Mokuba was left staring in a puff of anger and a feeling of "How can you not care about her when she's on the floor and I want you two to get married, but you obviously don't give a damn for her?!" look on his face.

Mokuba lifted himself up while mumbling something about the meanness and uncaring nature his brother had towards people who are unconsciousness, specifically, his secretary, specifically, Serenity. 

Mokuba left Serenity's side for a second, only to go to the intercom by the door of the office. As he ambled himself up to the little machine, he was thinking about something....

Something that happened earlier this morning...

Was it almost destiny that Serenity was absent the very morning that a certain Egyptian woman paid them a visit?

Nah.....

After Kaiba was safely in his office, Mokuba looked at the fallen girl, "I don't know who got rid of Bolidaman, but thank you."

Now to call Kluge.....

Mokuba watched angrily as the bodyguard called Kluge marched himself into Serenity's office.

Mokuba went to Serenity's side, and made it obvious what Kluge had to do by kneeling to Serenity's side, and looking up at Kluge with a "There's a fallen girl on the floor that I couldn't possibly lift! What do you think I called you here for?!" look on. 

"What do you want?" the guard, forgetting who was the boss here, snapped at little Mokuba.

Mokuba raised an eyebrow angrily at the guard.

"I mean, what do you want, Mr. Mokuba?" the guard rephrased as he came closer to Mokuba and the fallen one.

Mokuba lifted himself up again, "Lift her onto the couch, and be gentle with her: I think she'll be _very_ important in the near future *Mostly, to my brother*." He ordered as he thought the last part, all thw while pointing to Serenity.

"Whatever," the guard responded as he started to kneel and reach out his hands to pick up the knocked-out girl. 

Mokuba never trusted Kluge, and the rough look and devilish smile on his face when he saw Serenity vulnerable on the floor made Mokuba's suspicion lessen no more.

"I said gentle, Kluge!" Mokuba reminded as he put his hand under Serenity's head to support her evenly, and he made sure that on the journey from on the floor to the soft black couch, not a single auburn hair on Serenity's head would be bent.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

AN: Owww, more hand cramps. Anyway, there's still more of the chapter to go. 

Mokuba paced back and forth in front of the onyx couch. He had made himself the self-acclaimed bodyguard of the diligently placed sleeping beauty. 

Serenity was laying on the couch, with not an ounce of feeling within her. Her hand swayed from the couch's side, and her legs were yet again sprawled.

It had been a good hour since Serenity had fainted, and Mokuba was just about ready to call a) the paramedics for Serenity b) Joey, he should really know if his sister had been knocked out and for so long too, and c) the best god-damn lawyers that money could buy to put a major lawsuit against Bolidaman.

It was rather odd, though, that Serenity still hadn't woken up. How long could one's mind actually be halted, especially after a strong but little encounter with the armrest of a sofa-it's not like Bolidaman put hypnotics inside of Serenity...

But then again, I never said that we were dealing with only one's mind, now did I? 

//Ok, Serenity, it's time to go back now....//

Let's re-enter reality again, shall we?

Serenity started squirming her nose, and her legs started rising. 

Mokuba's eyes immediately darted to the now waking girl.

Mokuba stopped his continuous pacing, and released a breath of relief.

Serenity's eyes fluttered excitedly, and finally opened to reveal her hazel windows. Her arms started swaying, and her fingers started twiddling themselves to get the blood running in them again. 

"*Moan* Mokuba..." she called as she tried raising herself.

Mokuba immediately dashed over to Serenity.

"Serenity! Thank goodness you're okay. You scared me-"

"I'm 'okay'? Was I not 'okay' to begin with?"

"You don't remember...anything?" he asked with appalled eyes.

Serenity squinted her eyes in Mokuba's direction, "What happened to Bolidaman? I was supposed to take you to your playroom and get the files for Kaiba...." Serenity began, expecting Mokuba to finish.

"Uhh...Serenity," Mokuba began, not knowing how to explain this....

$*$*$*$*$*Kaiba's Office$*$*$*$*$*

Kaiba paced through his office, a habit that he had acquired from his brother.

Now, what was poor Kaiba to do? He had lost the deal of the century...but wait.... What about that other company that had rejected Kaiba a couple of years ago? Nah, not **that** company. Honestly, the owner of that company had rejected KaibaCorp's deal because of one thing: Family. An imbecilic reason, to Kaiba, but the owner of that company stressed good family and social skills.

But we know our Kaiba, and he is definitely not the most social fish in his pond. He's more like the opposite: He kind of intimidates people away.

But that's not the point. The point is, KaibaCorp could lose this new technology that it was creating...but Bolidaman Inc. wasn't the only company creating such a technology.

NO! NO! NO! We're getting off topic here. In order for Kaiba to strike a deal with this company, he'd have to have a family, and we all know that that's something that Kaiba does not do!

But still....maybe the owner of this mysterious company would accept KaibaCorp now. It was worth a try....

So now, Kaiba has a very important phone call to make....

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

AN: There are 7028 words so far in this document...Owww! 

"I'm sorry, Mokuba, I just can't believe it." Serenity declared as she denied Mokuba's synopsis of what had recently taken place.

"But it's true! You grabbed your head, started ordering Bolidaman to leave, and pushed her against that door!" Mokuba insisted, pointing to the sketched gateways. "And after you pushed her, she pushed you, you fainted, and Bolidaman screamed to my brother that she was canceling the affiliation."

"Mokuba, please," Serenity said, "I don't think I would've done something like that."

"You have the bruise to prove it," Mokuba pointed out, pointing a rude finger at the black-and-blue spot on Serenity's right leg.

"She did this?" Serenity, who had just noticed the bruise, asked in awe, squeezing the bruise to make sure that it was real. Yeah, it definitely felt real...

"With those murder weapons that she calls shoes," Mokuba explained. Mokuba gave a small smile in Serenity's direction, "Ding-Dong, the which is dead...." 

Serenity gave Mokuba a disapproving look, "Bolidaman is stronger than that. She would never have ended that affiliation with 'Seto'. It makes no sense that she ended the affiliation. We haven't seen the last of Calista Bolidaman, I assure you of that."

Again, Mokuba smiled at Serenity, "Ding-Dong, the which is dead..."

"She'll be back," Serenity assured, "We will see her again."

"Ding-Dong, the which is dead..."

Serenity, at length, finally returned Mokuba's smile, "_Which_ witch?"

"The wicked witch," Mokuba finished.

"Ding-Dong the which is dead.... _Which _witch? The wicked witch!" Mokuba and Serenity sang in perfect harmony. "Ding-Dong the which is dead.... _Which _witch? The wicked witch!" 

"Hey," Serenity said just as the two were about to begin a new round of the famous Wizard of Oz verse, "am I fired?"

Mokuba bit his lip nervously, "Well, Seto didn't _say_ you were fired. You should go ask him."

"But you said he didn't wanna be disturbed."

Mokuba shrugged his shoulders, "So? Ask him anyway...."

Serenity shook her head, "I'm too scared."

"Of what? Him? Don't be, he's just a little grumpy-"

"To put it lightly,"

"He's just a bit steamed cause Bolidaman ended her deal-by the way, I love you for doing that." Mokuba explained.

"That's just it, I am the sole reason that she ended the deal."

"And that is a _bad_ thing because...." 

"I don't know, Mokuba. I can be fired if I walk into his office right now, and nowadays, I really need that money."

Mokuba stood up, "Serenity, let's go," he said, grabbing her arms.

"Please, Mokuba, he'll tell me later if I'm fired or not, or better yet when I can clean out my desk."

Yet Mokuba, who hardly took no as an answer, tried to use Serenity's arms as guides, and he tried to lift her. 

"Mokuba," Serenity started, "Please..." she said as she remained firm in her place on the couch.

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So, Kaiba made a phone call, and there's nothing wrong with that, right?

Actually, to tell you the truth, this phone call... Well, let's just say he told a little white lie.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with telling white lies: They simply bend the truth a little. Often they are told simply to help someone or something.

So, there's nothing wrong with white lies, unless this little lie bends the truth a little too much so that it's gonna be hard to live up to what you just lied about. I'm talking about when...well, you'll see.

You see, Kaiba called up that mystery company, and the secretary immediately rejected a mere appointment with the CEO, until Kaiba said a magical phrase...

Ok, it's not so magical, but to one of his fangirls, it will be....

You see, the little white lie that Kaiba told was....

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba," Serenity interrupted as she quietly closed the door behind her, "I know you didn't want to interrupted, but...ummm...is your coffee cold? Let me warm that for you." she avoiding saying her real reason for being here.

Kaiba turned his expensive leather 'I'm a really high and mighty CEO' chair around to face Serenity. Last time he saw her, she was laying unconsciously on a couch, and now here she was, talking and walking and ready to ask him a question. He noticed her false smile, and the hidden traces of anxiety in her voice.

"You look better," he said, eyeing her bruise.

Serenity laughed nervously, hopefully he wouldn't ask who caused the bruise, and why they caused it... Although he probably knew the answer to that question already.

Then a slimy little serpent of a thought slithered its way into Kaiba's mind.

Well, Serenity's a pretty girl, right Kaiba? She looks about the right age...and you mustn't forget her exceeding marks in English. Maybe, just maybe, she could do the job? 

Kaiba, in response to Serenity's question, simply started doing to Serenity what every fangirl of Kaiba wished he would do to her (ok, maybe the next best thing): He started examining her.

Yes, that's right, his chillingly glacial eyes started tracing her up-and-down. He started taking into detail every small aspect of her body. All the while wondering if Serenity could be the right girl for the job. She looked about the right age. She was a little pretty, even though she was a Wheeler...

SEE? Didn't I JUST tell you that? 

Serenity started hesitantly approaching Kaiba's desk, still awaiting his answer. 'Darn it, answer! Screw his eyes and their stupid stare!' she cursed as she kept her focus on anything but her boss's eyes. 

"Mr. Kaiba," Serenity called, eyeing the coffee that had yet to be touched on the corner of his desk.

Kaiba remained silent for a moment, with his eyes piercing into her, which drove Serenity insane, but he finally replied. "Whatever,". A fixed stare still on her.

A little vague, but Serenity furtively approached his desk. 

Hopefully, he wouldn't bring up anything about hiring a new secretary...

Go faster, Serenity, soon it will all be over with....

Serenity finally reached her boss's desk, and she picked up the cold cup of coffee.

Hopefully, he'd forget about Bolidaman Inc. and the affiliation. 

Yeah, like that was gonna happen.

Serenity gave a nervous smile and started backing up, coffee cup trembling in her hands.

Keep on backing up, Serenity, just keep on backing up... 

You have no idea what thought is roaring in his head.

She kept backing up, and backing up, all the while feeling those highlighted blue eyes watching her. 

Why did those blue eyes have to be so vivid and so intimidating?

Finally, Serenity could feel the doorknob against her back.

Serenity felt a shiver run down her spine. Kaiba still stared at her intently. She gulped nervously, and left the room.

After she had fully shut the door and left, Kaiba turned his chair sideways and started massaging his temples. 

Perhaps, just perhaps, he didn't need a fangirl to live up to his little white lie. Maybe all he needed was all the while right under his nose. 

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Outside Kaiba's office, Mokuba scolded Serenity.

"You went in there to _warm his coffee_?!" he asked angrily.

"No...I umm...just chickened out. And were you listening to conversations again?" she asked, trying to reverse the blame onto Mokuba, who was pacing around the black couch.

Mokuba rolled his eyes. 

"We'll deal with this later," he simply said as he slumped down onto the couch.

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Serenity entered her boss's office with pessimistic views that were way too depressed to even consider about thinking about considering becoming optimistic.

This time, she carried that beautiful silver tray with her, hoping that she had enough coffee for her boss live off of for about a year or two....

"Do you think that's enough coffee for him?" Mokuba's sarcastic tone echoed in Serenity's mind.

As soon as he heard the door to his office open, he looked up to his secretary.

She smiled nervously again, bringing the coffee cautiously to his desk that seemed to move farther and farther with everyone of her steps.

"Pour the coffee," he ordered as she was about to leave the tray of coffee on a nearby table.

She nodded in obedience. She brought up the silver teapot to his desk, along with a small and shiny silver cup. 

She knew that he was yet again intently watching her, and he knew that she felt extremely uncomfortable (as would anyone) under his glare. 

But she tried to play it cool, and he wanted to see how gentle she was when anxious.

As she poured the coffee, she tried so hard to make it look easy. She serenely poured the cup of flavored coffee, and he watched her all the while.

She seemed to be on top of things, for she spilled not s single drop of the coffee.

She stirred in the creme without making a single clanging noise of the spoon.

And he watched her as she finally pulled off a small, but real, smile. 

So that's when he knew that she would be a perfect candidate for the job, and she really couldn't refuse his offer.

"Wheeler," he called, still staring at her keenly.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she replied as she looked up.

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CLIFFIE! 

See if you guys can tell what Kaiba's white lie was, and what he wants to ask Serenity, It's really simple in my opinion. 

But I didn't like that chapter too much. 

That was a long chapter, and damn my hands hurt! I hope that chapter makes up for the cliffhanger of chapter seven, and the incredibly long time it took for me to update this thing. I hope you liked it. 

But I have an important question to ask all of you: **_Should I continue writing this fic? I mean, do you readers actually like this story? _**

I hope you like this story...but please tell me the honest answer to my question! 

R/R if you liked this chapter!

Tootles,

Celestial Night


	9. I Have To Obey My Consciences Part One

Chapter Nine: I Have To Obey My Consciences (Part One)

So, I didn't start off from chapter eight's cliffy either, *avoids garbage being thrown at her* sorry!

But in this chapter...we get to learn about what goes inside the mind of Serenity.

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Moonlite Goddess: I promised I'd thank you, didn't I? I am an author of my word, so thank you!

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Vendred13: Thank you, and I can see that you like the Kisara parts. Isn't Kisara awesome? I don't know much about her personality, but I'm trying to make her seem like someone who won't be weak. So she really contradicts her Manga form. I hope you and your sister are enjoying this fic! Happy early birthday!

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Kikoken: You nearly gave me a heart attack when you said that you couldn't update! I'm so glad that you can, 'cause I have to find out what happens in A Strange Crush, The Serenity Diaries, To Love The Enemy.... Wait, why are you wasting time reading my little fic, continue yours! Thank you!

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Serryn: I'll thank you, but can you please tell me what you meant when you said that you didn't like the "downtime" . I'm a bit confused, but thanks for taking the time to review!

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v son sayian: Thanks for reading my little fic, and I'll I can tell you about Serenity's alter ego is that her name is Kisara, and she's not an OC. To tell you the truth, I don't even know if I'm supposed to be using her. All other questions will be answered in good time.

Which reminds me, I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! 'CAUSE IF I DID, TRISTAN WOULD DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

PLUS, I DON'T OWN KISARA. SHE IS A COMPLETE CHARACTER IN THE MANGA/EGYPTIAN FLASHBACK THINGY. 

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Sakura Kaiba: Thank you soooooooo much! Your reviews are always so sweet, and they always make me feel so appreciated. I'm so glad that you think I should continue this story, and I'm so glad that I have such a loyal reviewer like you always there to encourage Really And Truly's writing! Also, Kaiba didn't tell the company that he had a _girlfriend_...think a few steps higher!

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Luthien-Anwaman: Thank you also soooooooo much! I'm so glad that you like this fic!

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MusicLover: Thanks for reviewing! :)

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AngelEnchantress: What a pretty pen name! Thanks for reviewing! About your guess as to what Kaiba was gonna ask Serenity to do, you guessed well! ^.^

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Mystique: Oh you reviewed! Thank you so much! And thanks for adding me to favorites! 

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kotori*fee: I'm so glad you like this fic! Thanks! ^.^

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Sapphire Dragon: Nice pen name. Did you get it from Xiaolin Showdown? I'm soooooooo happy you like this fic! Thanks for reviewing, and hopefully I'm not dead 'cause I did continue this fic!

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Angel Blossom 247: Thanks for reviewing!

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I'm-A-Shady-Gurl: Calm down, the chapter's here...Thanks for reviewing! ^^

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Cara Kaiba: Thank you,; your review made me feel so appreciated. 

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Hating: Thanks for reviewing! And calm down, the next chapter's here! :P

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MistressMoonDemon: Don't go crazy 'cause I have decided to continue this fic...for the time being at least. Thanks! 

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Mari Star 146: Thank you for liking "Really And Truly"! Thanks for reviewing! ^.^

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Cherry Arrow: I'm so happy that you like my little ficcy! Thanks fo reviewing! ( 3 

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pisces14071: You said that this was one of the best SxS fics on ff.net! You have NO idea how much that means to me! Thanks for reviewing!

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Chaos Person: Thanks for liking the chapter and thanks for reviewing!

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Kalisin of Conte: Thanks for liking this fic and thanks for adding me to favorites! :)

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wblueg210: Thanks for reviewing. And by the way, Kisara is a character in the Manga who has the true ka of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. I just thought that combining Serenity and Kisara was such a cool idea, and I haven't actually seen it done before

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(AN: I told you I wasn't gonna start with Chapter Eight's cliffhanger...*avoids more garbage*)

Here we find Serenity, in KaibaCorp's basement, digging relentlessly through what we know as a file cabinet. This is a real strange place to find Miss Wheeler at the moment, for as most of you probably know, the basement of a building is a real demotion for a CEO's secretary, for, as I'm sure that most of you already know, the basement of a any company (even KaibaCorp) is a highly filthy place. 

So, as we join Serenity here in the basement, searching for some necessary files that her boss asked her to retrieve, we wonder what her mind is telling her.

"Stupid Kaiba, he's trying to scare me," she mumbled as she searched through the M-N cabinet of a very large file holder. "Madison, Maladies, Malarkeys..." she read as she fingered through certain files.

Serenity had no idea what to think of her boss at the moment. First of all, she practically ruined the best deal in his life by assaulting his very important business associate. And no matter how much Mokuba tried to persuade her, that wasn't a good thing. She really shouldn't be mad at her boss, for she could've cost-ok, probably did cost him the BEST FREAKIN DEAL EVER, but she didn't trust the look in his eyes. 

There was just something in those flamboyant blue windows when he stared at her intently that sent shivers of fear, curiosity, and unbelievably, anger, down her spine.

//He was staring at you.//

And so said the voice that is always joined by the two slashes (//). This voice seemed to come and go as it pleased, and its topic was usually always about a certain CEO..... 

But then again, this voice being Serenity's _conscience_, we can't blame the poor voice for what Serenity thinks.

//The way his eyes were fixed on you...//

"Machinery, Macro, Macrobiotic Parts...." Serenity said as she continued thumbing through alphabetically-organized files.

I mean, wasn't it bad enough that she was working for him? Wait, why was she working for him again?

"Right-mom, and college money-" she told herself between the files Magnates and Magnum Opuses.

Honestly, she didn't even remember thinking about ever working at KaibaCorp, nor did she remember seeing that ad in the newspaper for the job. She had not the slightest trace of memory of the bus ride to KaibaCorp....but she remembered when Mokuba called her name in the middle of all the girls, and she sort of woke up from a daydream, that _she_ didn't even remember beginning.

//What do you think his stares were for?//

"Mailing, Maims..." Serenity continued glancing at all these papers, not once finding the ones she was assigned to look for.

Wasn't it bad enough that she was working for him? But no........she ends up screwing the future of his company by attacking that Bolidaman.

//She deserved it.//

Then, possibly in a more cruelly, and more sickening way to get revenge on her, Kaiba gives her his version of the Evil Eye, which, quite honestly, can leave a person in a mist of darkness and insanity . 

"Natal Parts, National Business Parties," she read once again.

"Hey," she realized, she had already entered the N's! A bad thing for Serenity, for the file she was to retrieve was in M's, and she really and truly wanted to get those files to her boss as quickly as possible, for she really and truly didn't want to upset him-again.

So here she was, degraded from being the CEO's secretary, to rummaging for a petty file in the basement, like a hardly minimum wage-paid assistant. 

Serenity, rummaging through files for Kaiba, just like a dog. 

Rummaging for a stupid file, like a dog, bringing her boss's vindictive similes to life for a stupid file that she couldn't even find. 

Serenity rolled her eyes in a huff of anger, cursing Kaiba and his childish similes. 

//Don't you get it? There are no files with that name. He sent you down here on a false mission so he could have time to stall.//

"I already passed Mass-Production," she said as she skimmed through the files backwards.

Keep looking, Serenity. I don't know why I'm not just making you quit, but keep continuing on your little hunt....

//Are you ignoring me?// The voice asked, with a bit of anger gliding in her words.

Serenity continued looking through the files. Perhaps that stupid file was in another file cabinet. 

//At least humor me.// The voice asked as Serenity scanned through Managers and Main Accessibility Options.

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__

So now we join Serenity-ok, a part of Serenity in the only place where I'd write strictly in only italics. 

Here we are in this aura of purply smoke. This echoic zone where Serenity confides her deepest, darkest secrets. 

//Ugh! She won't listen to me!// a very familiar voice complained as it crossed its arms through the purply smoke. //Doesn't she know that what I tell her can only benefit her?!//

"That's because she's a good girl," another voice answered. **"And she knows that you're a crooked worm that has a school-girl crush on Seto Kaiba," **it said as the voice got louder and louder. 

//Not you again...// the voice groaned, _turning around to face the only other responding figment that could've been possibly been in this region._

A version of Serenity, dressed strictly in a crisp and clean school uniform, with her hair hanging perfectly without a single split-end, appeared through the purply-pink haze.

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"I have always told Serenity to do what's right, and you, you little parasite, won't take that reputation that I've persuaded so much to build away from me!" The strict Serenity made clear, as her perfect ponytail swayed viciously. 

//I don't want to ruin Serenity's reputation, really,// the voice started as it pulled up the hood on its back to make sure that this real figment of Serenity couldn't see her face, //I'm trying to-//

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"YOU'RE RUINING HER! RUINING HER! RUINING HER!" The voice shrieked, sounding much like Bolidaman. **"AND I'LL MAKE IT CLEAR RIGHT HERE THAT-"**

The hooded figment gave the babbling voice a strict look, despite the hood over her head, that practically petrified the yelling imaginary being.

//It is time that you learn to control that pestering tongue of yours.// the hooded figure declared like a true hero. 

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"I-owww....WI--ll- what did you do to my voice?!" The restricted voice asked in a very **slithery **and** hoarse **whisper, as it grabbed its neck to make sure everything was in place.

The cloaked figure watched in sheer amusement as the raspy-voiced being succumbed its hands around its neck. 

The poor raucous-toned organism tried to soothe its neck, but all efforts were futile, for the being felt as if a crab was squeezing its pincers on her neck. 

//What is the matter?// the hooded figure asked in innocent amusement, //Bastet got your tongue?// (AN: Bastet is the Egyptian word for cat)

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"Ohhhhhh...." Serenity suddenly gasped as she lifted her head from the deep file cabinet.

Serenity started to feel dizzy-not dizzy, more disheveled.

Something felt too powerful, and something felt like it didn't have enough power.

Something, something important, it seemed, had been taken away...

Serenity blinked her eyes a few times, and started staring at the files again.

MISCHIEF! MISCHIEF! _MISCHIEF_!

Serenity really wanted to do something bad....something that nobody would even think to consider that she would do....

//Aren't you supposed to be looking for something?//

"Right," Serenity said, squinting her eyes for some unknown reason.... "I have to find that..." 

DISOBEDIENCE! NAUGHTYNESS! _TROUBLE!!!!!!!!!!_

Ohhhhhh, someone's conscience has been disconnected. 

Feeling a bit light-headed again, Serenity? Remember, girl, you're on a search for something....

//File// the voice reminded.

"Right-find the file," she told herself.

Keep your focus straight girl!

So here we find poor Serenity searching and searching, futilely.

Now, why do I say that her search is _futile_? 

It's simple, really, for that voice that is always associated with the two slashes (//) was actually right about one thing: Kaiba sent Serenity on a false mission.

Yes, Serenity's boss, better known as Seto Kaiba sent that poor girl on a false mission. Why? Obviously to stall and get her out of the room for something.

But I'm typing too much now... 

Now, I suppose you're gonna ask me what is so important for Serenity not to hear that Kaiba sent her on a false mission...

*Most readers shake their heads*

Ok, but I'll tell you anyway:

(Don't worry, I'll get to Kaiba in a minute....)

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But let's check in with poor Joey first.......

Remember where we last left Joey? 

People, it was in the last chapter.

So while most readers go back to *remember* what happened, let's recap:

Joey and serenity, outside KaibaCorp parking lot, Joey locked door, Serenity couldn't get out, Joey wanted to talk, Serenity refused, Serenity tries to leave, all attempts all useless, Serenity gives up, Joey watches as she falls asleep, Joey listens as Serenity talks to "herself", Serenity says she needs somebody, the car door "magically" opens, Serenity runs for her life into KaibaCorp, and Joey is left staring after Serenity, questioning Tristan's mechanic skills....

That was a pretty big run-on.

So now, we reintroduce Joey-

Who's pretty mad.

Mad? You ask, of who?

If I honestly have to answer that question...

Of course, half of you readers are at the moment, skipping over this part and getting to Kaiba, but okay...

Joey's mad at Serenity, of course.

So right now, Joey's pacing in his living room, because first of all: Serenity and Kaiba, and both those names used in the same sentence pissed him off. And another thing, he had Serenity cornered, as in 'You have no way out 'cause you're locked in a car with me and I won't let you leave' type of cornered. But, due to Tristan's mechanic "skills", Serenity got away. 

But we mustn't forget where Serenity got away to...

Anywhere but there, in Joey's opinion... 

And another thing that got Joey really, really, (and I mean REALLY) frustrated was the fact that he left Yugi to housesit his house, of course, but on Joey's drive home, (of course, after he had his car fixed) he found Yugi, at a bus stop, eating an ice cream cone.

So, after Joey practically threw Yugi in his car, and threw away poor Yugi's ice cream, he nearly had an accident *driving* home.

So, here we find Yugi and Joey in Joey's living room. 

Joey-pacing, Yugi-sitting on Joey's couch, wondering about his ice cream. That was good ice cream Joey threw away. 

"DO YA BELIE' DA NEVE OF DAT GIRL???????!!!!!!!!!!" he screamed at Yugi, while he was pacing, bringing Yugi out of his ice cream trance. "KAIBA HAS GOT HER UNDA' SUM SORTA SPELL AND DAT'S WHY SHE WON'T LISTEN TA ME!!!"

Yugi looked up at Joey. First he gave him a look of "You threw my ice cream away," but then he gave Joey a look that read "You are an over-protective idiot." 

"Joey," Yugi assured, "She's not _in love_ with him or anything. You know she only works there 'cause she gets good money, and that money goes to a good cause."

"There are otha' ways ta make money," Joey reminded as he continued this annoying pacing.

"Joey," Yugi started in a 'Duh!' voice, "She's the CEO's direct secretary. Sure there are 'other' ways to make money, but can you think of a job that gives you more money than a multi-billion dollar company's CEO's secretary without a college education? I'm surprised Kaiba even found her qualified enough..."

Joey stopped pacing for a moment.

What Yugi had to say _did_ make sense....

Why would Kaiba, of all people, choose Serenity as a secretary?

He had all of the female population of Domino City at his fingertips, but he chose Serenity. 

And not just _any_ Serenity, Serenity Wheeler...

So the question is, _why_ did _Kaiba_ find _Serenity_ as in Serenity _Wheeler,_ sister of _Joey Wheeler,_ Kaiba's "pet-dog", qualified enough to become _his_, as in _Kaiba's_, secretary.

"Why _did_ he find _her_ 'qualified enough'?" Joey asked, slowly, coming closer to Yugi.

Yugi, who was thinking about his creamy chocolate-chip and cookie dough ice-cream cone, snapped back into reality for a second, and was a bit frightened to see what he saw next.

Joey was nearly protruding into Yugi's personal space with his face. 

Eye-to-eye, Joey was nonverbally interrogating Yugi. Yugi pressed his back harder into the couch. 

"Joey," Yugi said calmly, "My face needs its space."

"Why aren't ya worried?" Joey asked, backing away, a bit.

"About what?" Yugi asked, trying to keep his mind off of that ice-cream cone, as rich and creamy as it was with its luscious cholesterol goodness. 

"You seem so sure that Serenity is fine with Kaiba," Joey said, enunciating and speaking very softly.

"And she wouldn't be because...."

Joey, who was now lingering his head over Yugi's, could not, and I mean could not believe what he was hearing.

Joey started shaking his hands frantically. Clenching his fists, he tried oh so very hard not to smack Yugi.

Yugi at first simply stared at Joey vehemently vibrating his hands. 

Then Yugi, who was a very brave kid, simply pressed his back harder into the couch, relaxed, and smirked at Joey. Thus, challenging Joey to hit him. 

Yugi wasn't really worried at all, for he knew that whenever anyone tried to attack him, his millennium spirit would protect him....but that wasn't such a good strategy.

Your Millennium Puzzle can do a lot of things, Yugi, but never, and I mean never rely on your Yami as a form of self-defense.

(AN: Pay attention, 'cause if I decide to further write this story, that fact comes in handy much, much, much later...)

Joey, who believed in not picking on smaller kids *Yugi*, still shaking his hands, turned sharply around to avoid Yugi's exigent smile.

"Yugi," Joey started, walking farther and farther away from Yugi, "you know Kaiba."

"Yes, I do, but you seem to think that that's a bad thing," Yugi practically shot at Joey.

"Yugi," Joey started once again, trying so very, very hard not to raise his blood pressure with more of this topic, "it _is_ a bad thing."

"Joey-"

"Listen, Kaiba does not like me, and he knows that I care for ma sista' with all my heart, and he uses that to his advantage..."

"What advantage? Serenity never complains about her job! Now then-"

"She came home mo' then one time complanin' about him! Remember the pizza parlor?!!!"

"We were all there, Joey, and we all know what happened."

"Really? Tell me, Yugi, why was Kaiba starin' at ma sista'?"

Now Yugi fell silent for a moment. 

Yugi, maybe it's time to tell Joey.

But...never mind; Joey's not ready to know anyway.

Joey, victoriously turned around, to find Yugi twiddling with his thumbs, shoulders hunched, mentally debating something.

"I got you there, didn't I?" Joey asked, triumphantly showing off his not-yet-won victory.

Just like a Wheeler, asking about their victories, when they haven't officially won yet... 

"But Joey-" Yugi started once again, coming to a decision, but this time he was cut off by the door being kicked open.

And might I mention that the door was kicked open with a BANG! As in, a huge thundering sound that caused Yugi and Joey to visibly jump, and turn their backs to the doorway.

Yugi cowardly took a pillow from the couch, and hid his face behind it. 

Joey, who was acting more of a coward than Yugi, stole the pillow from Yugi's hands, leaving poor Yugi defenseless, from whoever was the source of that BANG! was...

Both boys shivered with fear, each secretly hoping that whoever was behind the door would take the other boy first.

"Hey," said a familiar voice, angrily...

"What the..." the two boys whispered.

Hearing the familiar, yet angry voice, Yugi and Joey carefully turned around.

Inch by inch, they started turning their bodies.

Slowly, their eyes furtively started looking towards the doorway.

Joey and Yugi peeked at the doorway....

Tristan Taylor stood angrily in the doorway. 

Joey and Yugi, who were scared half-to-death for they thought it was a burglar on the other side of the door, stared angrily at Tristan.

Joey lowered his eyes like, Tristan's at Tristan.

"You're payin' fo' dat!" Joey clarified as he saw the hinge on the door go loose. 

"Couldn't you knock?!" Yugi asked, heatedly, not having enjoyed being scared like that, as he stood up with his arms impatiently folded across his chest.

"I heard about Serenity," Tristan said with his eyebrows lowered in a threatening manner. (You know, when his eyes are all menacingly darkened.)

"How?" Joey asked.

You see, after Joey had his car fixed, (AN: There's a whole story behind that, but that'll come much later, if I decide to continue this fic!) he drove straight home, of course only to find Yugi eating an ice-cream cone, but never made a phone call in between, especially to Tristan...

"We've got connections," Duke Devlin explained as he appeared behind Tristan, with the same sadistically clouded eyes.

"You two are obsessed," Yugi said, noticing the fact Devlin and Tristan looked like mafia members ready to shoot a dozen or two people to death with their eyes shaded like that.

Yugi sat down quickly onto the couch. With his back pressed hardly into the sofa, he awaited quietly the explanation that Duke and Tristan had to give.

"So you know about-" Joey started, walking slowly to the beaten down door.

"Yes," the two responded in unison.

When Joey reached the two "obsessed ones", Devlin and Tristan gave Joey sharp looks. With Devlin's vivid emerald eyes crossed, and Tristan's eyes severely squinted.

Joey responded by giving the two a raised eyebrow.

The two nodded simultaneously. 

Joey lowered his eyes, then flickered them twice.

The two, in response, harmoniously squinted their eyes.

Joey nodded.

Yugi started twitching his eyes: It's scary seeing a few of your good friends having a mental conversation.

Of course, Yugi wasn't sure whether or not the trio was conversing, or just making-up stupid eye and head movements. 

In response to Joey's nod, Tristan and Duke lowered one eye, and widened the other one.

Joey bit his lip, closed his left eye and darted his right eye to the left.

"So it's all Kaiba's fault!" all three of them exclaimed.

Yugi widened his eyes at the three. 

He widened his eyes wide like he couldn't decide whether the three were idiots, or simply underestimated for their communication abilities. 

"_You've gotta be kidding me!_" Yugi exclaimed as he stood off of the couch, hung his mouth opened, and watched the eye and hand gestures come and go. 

After the three exclaimed Kaiba's wrong doing, Tristan darted his eyeballs from side to side.

Duke twisted his head to the right, and started rolling his eyes.

Joey put his hand on his chin, and observed this very closely. 

So as they continued this "conversation", Yugi rolled his eyes.

Joey wasn't ready to know....

And about the topic of Serenity's safety with Kaiba....

Yugi knew that Serenity would be alright.

Call it a hunch...

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"Seto...." Mokuba whined, "Where'd you send Serenity. She's been gone for nearly 45 minutes!"

Mokuba, who was now playing in the swivel chair across from his brother, awaited an answer, impatiently.

The last time he had seen Serenity, she had just finished bringing Seto his coffee.

He couldn't really have eavesdropped on the conversation, for there were hardly any words used while she was in that room...

All he remembered hearing were the small squeaks coming from Serenity's mouth, but other than that, he had nothing. 

But then again, those squeaks seemed to come from a voice trembling with fear.

She must've--or rather, _he_ must've done something terribly wrong. 

He remembered how she obediently rushed out of the office soon after... 

Kaiba, who had the chair's back turned to Mokuba, sharply turned around, revealing his deep in thought eyes, with a dark aura surrounding them. His fingers pressed upon one another, and his head disturbingly lowered.

Seeing this, Mokuba felt shivers all about his neck and back, but quickly erased this fear of his own sibling.

"Where'd you send Serenity?" Mokuba asked, forgetting who he was talking to, with a quiver of anger in his voice. 

Seto Kaiba, who was terribly amused by Mokuba's liking of the girl, decided to play with Mokuba a little....

"I sent the Wheeler...._somewhere_," he replied, all to sneakily.

Mokuba's eyes widened with alarming horror. 

"_Where did you send her?" _Mokuba asked, jumping out of his chair and leaning over the desk.

Judging by Mokuba's voice....he was not in the mood for a joke. 

"When...is...she...gonna....come...back?" Mokuba very steadily asked.

This was too much fun for Kaiba!

"If she does what I asked her to do right, she won't be back," Kaiba explained. loving the look his brother was giving him, which was much like Tristan and Duke's darkened eyes. 

"You...yo-you didn't..." Mokuba said, backing away from his brother's desk. He was nearly about to cry, for if Serenity was fired, then his plans would really and truly be ruined...

"Go on," Kaiba tantalized, "If you run really fast, you can still catch her."

And this, my loyal readers, was Mokuba's breaking point. 

Mokuba started to slip away from the desk, and he grabbed the chair for support. All his plans, his wonderful plans, they were ruined!!! All the times he complimented one in front of the other, hoping to build some interest. All his wonderful daydreams about headlines that read about a wedding between Seto Kaiba and Serenity Wheeler....Ruined! 

"YOU FIRED HER?!!!!!!!!!" he wailed.

Now, this was sheer pleasure for the elder Kaiba brother. 

He knew that Mokuba had a crush on Serenity, but this was too much...

Although he hated to see his brother in such sadness, it was pure amusement to see him weep over the Wheeler girl...

So that's when Seto Kaiba had a good laugh. Seeing Mokuba practically having a heart attack, and over Joey's sister, was the cracking point, my loyal readers. 

At first, it started with a smile, a simple smile of amusement, but then it became a chuckle-nah, not a chuckle, 'cause Kaiba doesn't look right chuckling. It was more of a snigger, with a lot of added emphasis. But after another glance at his wailing brother, it became a full, evil, this is what bad guys do for sinister pleasure, type of bellowing laugh.

Kaiba laughed so hard he had to grab his stomach in pain; he had to brush away tears from his eyes. 

It was so amusing to him, he nearly fell out of his chair...nearly. 

Mokuba, who was now leaning on the chair opposite to his brother, stared thunder-struck at Seto. "H-how c-can you laugh?" he asked with watery eyes, "All my plans have been diminished..." he said in a small, weeping, voice. 

Ok, this caught Kaiba's attention.

Despite the fact that he was in a deep mirth stage, he had heard Mokuba very clearly.

Kaiba, who had tears welled up in his eyes, tried to cease his laughter.

It took a couple of tries, but he eventually got it... 

Anyway, he lowered his eyes at Mokuba, "What plans?"

Mokuba wiped the disappointed tears from his eyes, "Never mind; you wouldn't care anyway."

Kaiba straightened himself up, and pressed hardly into the chair. "If I told you that she wasn't fired, will you tell me what 'plans' you have?" he asked, wondering what his younger sibling could possibly concoct, that obviously had to do with Serenity.

Man, I love you Kaiba, but sometimes you're oblivious....

Mokuba, who felt like heaven had sent hope inside of him, brightened significantly, "S-she's not fired?!"

"She's retrieving a file for me in the basement," Kaiba explained, now itching with curiosity as to what Mokuba was up to.

Mokuba scowled, "But all the junky files are in the basement. They're nothing but old soft-cover tear-outs. What *important* file could she possibly be getting out of there?"

Kaiba closed his eyes, and simply said to Mokuba, "I've already answered one of your questions, now, what about mine?"

Mokuba thought for a second. It would be a fool to tell Kaiba the _real _plan...

"Well, you see, a kid in my class, Hyun, didn't believe me when I said that Joey Wheeler, as in one of the top five duelists in the world, well, he didn't believe me when I said that Joey Wheeler's sister was working for me-or you, I mean," He explained rather quickly, ignoring his brother's rolled eyes.

"Is that so?" Kaiba asked, immediately realizing Mokuba's white lie.

But Kaiba didn't care about this white lie, for remember, he told one himself.

And white lies are all the more interesting when they slowly develop into reality....

So, for the moment, Kaiba was going to ignore Mokuba's lie, and he would later excavate it when it became more deep, and more interesting....

"But tell me, Seto, what's she doing down there?" Mokuba asked, desperately trying to change topics.

"I needed time," Kaiba responded all too quickly.

"What? For what?"

"I needed time to think things over..."

"For _what_?" Mokuba asked.

"To think about something thoroughly, because it most definitely will affect my future."

"_What _will?"

"Something that will change KaibaCorp forever."

"**_WHAT WILL?!_**" Mokuba asked, knowing that this had something to with Seto Kaiba, and Serenity Wheeler-together.

"My, my, aren't we pushy?" Kaiba teased, turning his chair around.

"Tell me, Seto, pleeeeeeasssssssssseeeeeeeeee!"

Seto turned his chair around once again to stare intently at Mokuba. 

Seto stared skeptically at the child who found eavesdropping a fun and entertaining hobby. 

Trust, although they were brothers, was an issue here.

But come one, Kaiba! What can't you explain to Mokuba!

Oh yeah....that....

"Well," he started, "let's just say that I have a proposition to devise..."

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Serenity angrily closed the door of the file cabinet, and I mean **angrily**. 

You see, Serenity had wasted a fine amount of her time uselessly rummaging and living out her boss's very cruel, canine similes. 

She secretly started cursing out her boss.

Normally, Serenity's conscience would never allow her to speak a single four-letter curse word, but if you guys can remember, her conscience had no right to say anything at the moment. 

Now, although it took about seven shuffles of the M-N file department, she realized something:

Her boss sent her out on a terribly frustrating, false mission. 

'The nerve of that..._man_. I search, and I search, and I search some more, but, all the while I'm looking for something that doesn't even exist!' 

//I could have told you that, and I did, in case you do not remember.// 

And so we hear from this rather powerful umm....being again. 

As you readers can probably guess by now, Serenity is desperately trying to rid this voice from the corridors of her mind that it haunts.

Serenity stared at the darn file cabinet for a second, wondering that if she kicked it *rather viciously*, would the file cabinet form a voodoo-like bond with Kaiba so that Kaiba would be the one getting hurt instead.

//Oh now don't think such terrible things about your boss, Kaiba, who is, as you said, the real "supplier" of all your money.//

__

Kaiba That name was sending terrible visions into little Serenity's mind of hate and cruelty.

Her _boss_ was a torturer to her brother....

An evil slave-holder over poor Serenity herself...

A false superior to Yugi...

And to everybody else, an evil, snobbish CEO that had such an inflated ego that Serenity could hardly figure out how he possibly kept that freakin, overblown head straight on his body. 

Serenity had a good mind to quit at the moment.

Yes, that's what she was gonna do.

She had enough of her torture-loving boss.

It was no problem to her. 

After all, there were hundreds of places that she could work at.

//No place will give you enough money that your current job gives you without a formal college education...//

Serenity stared evilly at the file cabinet, and then crossed her arms in an extreme huff of anger, acting much like a five-year-old that didn't get her way.

"Well," she annoyingly snapped, "Screw you 'cause I have plenty of time before college starts; there's no rush-"

//Does your mother have time?// The voice interrupted. 

This, my loyal readers, was Serenity's breaking point.

Serenity started scanning the contents of her mind, just so she could see whether or not she heard right.

//Does your mother have time?// the voice asked, a bit irritated. 

"My...m-mother?" Serenity asked quietly as the word triggered some fond memories.

//Did I stutter?// the voice asked impatiently.

Serenity slowly uncrossed her arms, and slowly her conscience started coming back to her. 

//You told me that you needed money for your mother; that she had become the real reason you were working here, not your education.//

Serenity's eyes released their tense position, and they softly started to flutter.

The mysterious voice (//) took this as a sign to move on, so she did so.

//I do not mean to sound or be rude, but,// the voice started saying with an added emphasis, //you did break out of your brother's car just so you could attend this job. I thought that that meant this job had some importance to you//

Now, if you were to see Serenity at that moment, you'd be confused. She was hanging with her mouth slightly opened, and her eyes were rolling up, as if she were bored. BUT, we all know that right now was a very emotional time for her...

Serenity slowly started backing up, despite her spaced-out appearance, and she started taking zombie-like steps backwards, towards the wall that was directly adjacent to the file cabinet.

Other errand-runners who happened to glance up at Serenity in the basement, were severely baffled. Seeing a girl looking up to the ceiling with a scared yet clueless/bored expression on, and, all the while backing up, left a few of the passers-by to look tentatively up at the ceiling. 

Some thought Serenity saw signs of Apocalypse; others thought she saw signs of Lucifer, and others thought she noticed some sort of stain on the roof.

Disappointed when they looked up at the ceiling and saw nothing, the onlookers looked skeptically at the girl who was, currently, talking to herself (again).

"You're right," Serenity barely breathed as she pressed her back strictly against the wall.

A few of Serenity's curious viewers eyed each other nervously, and the question as to why the CEO's secretary was demoted down to the basement was erased. 

"O-kay...." one staff member said as he started whistling innocently and returned to delivering a document to his desk.

//Now that you've admitted the obvious, don't you think you should do something about our viewers?// the voice asked.

__

What viewers? Serenity thought, although she thought she spoke.

//Snap back into reality, my dear, and look ahead of you,// The voice instructed.

Serenity, a bit confused, rolled down her eyes.

Serenity did not enjoy seeing nearly fifteen people staring at her as if she had lost all sanity, so she a bit forcefully asked, "What?" 

The little audience quickly realized that Serenity was pretty sane again since she was darting her eyes questionably at them, so they quickly started continuing their work and pretended like nothing happened. Whistling innocently all the while.

//Save yourself the humiliation, and hurry yourself upstairs,// the voice suggested.

__

Right Serenity thought to herself _Get back upstairs!_ She chanted mentally to herself as she ignored the fact that she failed to get that file.

Whether or not she had retrieved that file was not of much importance, as Serenity would learn in a little while.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

"I miss my ice cream," Yugi said yet again.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity quickened her pace as she hastily ran down the hallway.

Since Serenity did not get that file, she didn't want to stall and get into more trouble, so she wanted to get to her boss's office as quickly as possible.

//I thought that we agreed that the file that you were to deliver to your boss was fake,// the voice reminded.

Serenity ignored this statement. _Why, oh why did the elevator have to be broken the day I needed to climb practically a hundred flights of stairs? _she heatedly questioned.

Serenity nearly tripped at her pace, for she accelerated with nearly every step she took. _I swear_ she cursed to herself _that these hallways get longer and longer everyday! _

//Never mind,// the voice sighed, //just get to the office as fast as you can.//

Serenity did just that, with her rapid steps, and her leaving-smoky-trails feet burning grooves in the ground.

"Be careful!" called a voice from way behind Serenity rather playfully, "You'll fall if you take another step." 

__

I know that voice... Serenity thought to herself.

Serenity, in order to contradict what the voice said, took another step at her accelerating pace just to see if she would actually fall, which she didn't.

But after Serenity proved that the voice was wrong with predicting Serenity's falling, she turned around.

And when she saw who called to her, Serenity smiled.

"Good afternoon, Serenity!" Serenity saw Marie call from a great distance.

"Good afternoon to you too, Marie," Serenity nearly yelled in reply until she noticed that Marie hastened her way over to Serenity (a good ten meters) in the matter of seconds it took for Serenity to turn around and greet her.

Marie, Serenity's good acquaintance who she often ran into when retrieving her boss's coffee, and Marie was the one who thought her that sucking-up went far.

Marie and Serenity shared a great hatred for Calista Bolidaman. 

"You got here, err...fast," Serenity said as she sweatdropped and saw her friend come right in front of her.

Marie rolled her eyes, "Whatever," she somewhat mumbled. 

Serenity smiled at her friend, and she repeated "Hello, Marie," many times, but, Serenity was on a mission to get somewhere...

"Gomen, Marie," Serenity quickly muttered as she realized that she was running late.

Marie looked confusedly at Serenity. 

Serenity once again greeted Marie, and then she started to slightly turn on angle. Almost as if she were ready to leave. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Marie asked as she grabbed one of Serenity's arms. Just in time, because Serenity was more than ready to hurry up and get to her boss's office. 

Serenity smiled weakly at her friend. "Marie, I'd love to talk, but at the moment, I'm on a very tight schedule. I really have to get-"

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Marie simply interrupted.

"Marie..." Serenity started to say, looking at Marie crossly. All the while trying to move away from Marie's seize over her arm.

Marie returned the cross stare, but more menacingly. 

"Yes-it's lovely," Serenity desperately sighed as she tried to budge from Marie's friendly yet tight grasp. 

"Do you know why it's so lovely?" she asked with a huge smile on her face.

Serenity sighed, "Please, Marie," she started to say yet again.

"Serenity," Marie threatened as her eyes went menacingly low, and her grasp over Serenity's arm slightly increased.

"Why is it so lovely, Marie?" Serenity asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Because you got rid of Bolidaman!" Marie exclaimed happily.

//She knows about that?//

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"She knows about that?"

__

She knows about that?

"You know about THAT!" Serenity questioned with her mouth's hinges hanging open. 

Marie simply smiled and nodded her head like a bobble head doll. 

"How'd you---I mean how did you possibly...._Mokuba!_" Serenity mumbled under her breath.

__

Ohhhhhh man..... Serenity's mind kept repeating.

"Ummm..." Serenity squeaked as she suddenly got the strength to take her hand back from Marie.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Marie said. "Mokuba didn't tell me anything: I saw Bolidaman leaving through the main entrance, swearing revenge on The Big Cheese's secretary. The secretary being you, of course," she explained as she clasped her hands together happily, releasing Serenity's arm. 

Serenity quickly drew back her arm. "Marie," she enlightened, "getting rid of Bolidaman is nothing to be proud about. Do you know what I did? It's not important, but-"

"Nonsense!" Marie cut off, "What you did has all the importance of the world-" Marie was about to say something until someone else cut her off as well...

"Marie, Marie, Marie," a male's voice said bitterly from down the hall.

Marie looked behind her only to a man walking closer and closer, inch by inch, to Serenity and Marie.

"Awwww #@*~!" Marie cursed as she saw this man walk closer and closer.

The man got closer and closer.

"Marie listen," Serenity said impatiently, "I really have to get going," Serenity said as she tried to take advantage of the moment Marie lost her concentration.

And closer and closer...

"Not now," Marie muttered as the man finally approached them. 

"I've got to get going," Serenity said as she turned quickly and started to leave.

"No," Marie hissed, "you're staying here with me!" she explained to Serenity as she grabbed Serenity's arm forcefully yet again.

__

You've gotta be kidding me! Serenity's mind exclaimed as she rolled her eyes in anger.

"Now, Marie," said the man as he was about a good foot from Serenity and Marie's faces. "You were late for your after-lunch post in about....or make that exactly 18 minutes!" he declared angrily, tapping his watch.

"So?" asked Marie as calmly as she could, taking out her anger on poor Serenity's arm. "It's not like _you've_ never been late before! And don't give me that attitude 'cause I'm your co-worker, giving you NO superiority over me!" 

__

Owwwwwww! Serenity moaned as Marie pressed her delicate arm hardly with her shiny, manicured nails.

"Marie, please," Serenity complained, trying to jerk her arm away from Marie's grasp. "I've really gotta go. I don't want to get you into more trouble." 

"You should listen to the girl, Marie," said the man in reply to both the girls. 

Marie scowled, "Well, I was simply escorting my friend, Serenity Wheeler, the head honcho's secretary, to the next floor."

"That's gotta be the lamest excuse-"

"Marie, please!" Serenity begged as she now tried to trudge and pull her arm away from her friend's unbelievably tight grasp.

"I (I)-was (am)-escorting (going) -you (to)-to (let)-the (your)-next (arm)-landing (go)--right (in)-Serenity (a minute!)?" Marie asked through a false smile and gritted teeth. 

Serenity stopped acting like a fly caught in a spider web, and she stared at her friend with some sort of angered fascination in her eyes. 

"Fine," Serenity said, knowing Marie's real meaning. All the while desperately just trying to get up the stairs. 

Serenity stopped trying to run away from Marie.

"Well then, you heard the girl; I have to escort her to the next floor," Marie clarified, acting as if she were going on a date with royalty.

The man gave a vicious look in both Marie and Serenity's direction. 

Marie beamed at her victory, and then she turned to her friend, "Shall we go?" she simply asked.

"Yes, let's," Serenity snapped back way too bitterly. 

Serenity started pulling Marie's hands, not really caring what she was doing as long as she was able to get to the next landing, and then get herself to the Big Office... 

Marie started following Serenity's pull, smirking just a bit.

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About forty seconds later, the pair of women were still walking in the hallway. Serenity, of course, leading the other with her hands dragging poor Marie.

Serenity could've let Marie's arm go, but she had a word to speak with her "friend".

"You rock," Marie thanked, still being dragged by Serenity, recalling Serenity's part in playing along with the cover-up.

Serenity, on the other hand, was not interested in any thank-you the other girl had to offer her. 

"Now," Serenity said, "Marie, you _really_ shouldn't have done that," she explained angrily. 

Marie tried opening her mouth to say something, but Serenity cut her off. 

"I _really _could've and probably DID get into a bunch of trouble with your persistence!" she rejoindered.

Obviously, Serenity was in a really crappy mood...

"Well, don't blame me; blame _him_," Marie tried forcing the blame onto another, much like a little kid.

Serenity pressed her hands harder into Marie's arm. 

Marie was much stronger than Serenity, and all too easily could she have broken away from Serenity's grasp. But, being the good and loyal friend that Marie was, she felt that she had an obligation to explain herself to Serenity.

"He's a real pompous jerk. He's always being a real-" Marie nearly immediately cut herself off, a smile waltzing with her lips..."Despite his _flaws_, he's cute, isn't he?" she asked mischievously.

"Huh?" Serenity asked, clueless, as she heard Marie say something. Serenity was too busy wondering what Kaiba would do to her when he saw that she had no files in her hands, AND that she took her time and stalled in reporting back to him.

Serenity turned her head around to face her friend.

"He's cute, isn't he?" Marie asked again, looking Serenity straight in the eyes. 

"_Him_...I guess," Serenity simply replied for she found the question useless, and she didn't even get a good look at the guy. 

She looked at Marie and shrugged her shoulders. 

//But not as cute as Kaiba.//

"But not as cute as Kaiba," Serenity repeated, with her eyes half-opened, and her voice in a dreamy state.

__

Don't repeat that in public! And ix yourself up: You look like you're in love with the guy the way you're blushing like that. 

'I didn't mean to say that, honest! And, am I really blushing?'

__

Never mind that, just clean yourself up and try to cover-up for what you said!!!!! 

"I didn't know you liked Kaiba," Marie said suspiciously, eyebrows raised.

__

I don't! Serenity's mind told her to say. _Seto Kaiba is the worst man I ever met! Say you don't like him! Say you don't like him! SAY YOU DON'T LIKE HIM!!!_

//Well, I do.//

"Well, I do," Serenity clarified. 

Less than a half of a spilt-second later, Serenity released Marie's arm, and clasped her hands tightly over her mouth. Hardly leaving any room for air to pass through.

"No wonder you hate Bolidaman so much..." Marie realized as she trailed off, crossing her recently-freed arms over her chest.

//*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*//

"I gotta go!" Serenity mumbled through her hands.

Quickly, as in less than half of half of a quarter of a second later, Serenity was dashing off, not caring about whatever it was that Marie wanted to say.

$*

Marie was left staring in an utter state of confusion.

"What the he-"

"MARIE!!!" came the male's voice from behind her.

Marie looked back and smiled evilly at the male who was more than 15 meters away from her, "Shut up! I'm coming!"

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Well, that went rather fast. **Literally, that was only the first half of the chapter! But, I didn't wanna bombard you wonderful readers with too much to read.**

I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Preview:

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"Now then, Serenity, don't make a sound, and everything will go by much more easily...."

Enjoy the next chapter: I Have To Obey My Consciences Part Two

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Tootles,

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Celestial Night 


	10. I Have To Obey My Consciences Part Two

Chapter Ten: I Have To Obey My Consciences

(Part Two)

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TO THOSE OF YOU THAT DID REVIEW, THANK YOU. 

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Moonlite Goddess: ............

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FizzWife: Thank you! All of your wonderful reviews were so thoughtful! lol ^.^ It's not often that a reviewer like you comes along, especially for this story....

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neo_elite: Thank you, and you should know: One of the consciences is not really a conscience *hint (//)*

Chaos Mistress: Oh thank you! You reviewed I feel so happy now! :) lol I hope that you like this story, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

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hating: Thanks for reviewing! LOL! Thanks for liking my fic!

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Saku's Sakura: It's reviews like the one you sent me that make me feel really inspired. *Smiles* Thanks for reviewing!

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TinyFlyer02: Thanks for adding me to your Author Alerts!

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Sorceress Vanessa: I completely suck at saying thank you, but thanks for reviewing! Thank you for liking this story so far! Your reviews are so sweet :-P

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Mysthique: Thanks for liking my lil' fic! *bows in gratefulness* Thank you! n.n

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pisces14071: Thanks for reviewing! I hope that you enjoy this chapter! :-D

Cherry Arrow: LOL! Thanks for reviewing! I hope that you think this chapter isn't too long and boring *sighs* Thanks again! 

Let me create a key for you readers:

Speaking: 

//We all should know by now who speaks when the two slashes are displayed.//

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"Speaking parts completely written in bolded ink is Serenity's real conscience."

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"Something speaking in italics usually indicates Serenity's mind (not conscience) telling her something, or vice versa."

Scenes:

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Scenes written in complete italics are usually scenes that occur in Serenity's mind, or a dream-like state real scene.

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Now, scenes written in italics AND bolded are usually indicating a real not-occurring-in-mind scenes, but are usually confused as dreams, or vice versa. 

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You idiot! Have I taught you nothing? "Not as cute as Kaiba"?! 

Even if you do tend to think that the guy is "cute", you don't go around and flatter him. 

And what was worse than complimenting the guy? Agreeing to like, as in l-i-k-e the man! 

"Well I do"?! What, tell me please, could've possibly told you to say such reckless nonsense? Not I, of course, because I am able to restrict myself from saying rubbish like that of which you recently spoke! I thought that I had taught you to limit what you say in the same manner, but obviously, I was wrong!!! 

And the blushing?!!! You could've made a tomato look pale..... And you had your eyes closed half-way, like you were daydreaming about him..... And I will NOT even begin with your voice! Quaky, ever so furtively quaky, yet still so quiveringly quaky at the same time....

Since when does your voice quake when you talk about the man? Hmmmmm....

You have been a real disappointment to me, Serenity Wheeler... 

Our dear Serenity Wheeler continued rushing up those agonizing flights of steps. Faster and faster, she darted with incredible speed---quickening with every movement of her foot that she made. 

True, it had been at least a good three minutes since Serenity last saw Marie, but to get rid of the humiliation she had inside ¾well, that would take more than just a good three minutes to get rid of.

But we mustn't blame the poor girl for fleeing at that unfortunate moment. First of all, she admitted to thinking that her boss was cute. Though that may be true, she was trying to make a point of her not liking her boss, and a point that would state 'If I could find another job that'd pay more than this one, I'd quit in a heartbeat!'

But we all know that that point wasn't sufficiently demonstrated when she admitted to thinking that the man she was trying to prove she hated was cute.

And true as it may be that girls tend to think that many men are "cute" or "hot", and it doesn't necessarily mean that they like him, Serenity _did _say that Kaiba was cute with her eyes half-closed like a loveisck fangirl. Another thing, the way she spoke with her voice flowing dreamily didn't help the situation too much either.

How many flights did she race through? How long had it been since she humiliated herself? What about that stupid file that she was supposed to get but never found?

Her mind simply found those questions to be futile....

All that mattered was the fact that Serenity had to get away from everything. She had to get away from Marie, what she did to embarrass herself, she had to get away from her mind and her Kaiba-loving conscience....but most of all...._she had to get away from Kaiba._

Her boss, it had seemed, was somehow involved, in sometimes the stupidest and most unbelievable ways, in every little thing that had gone wrong with the girl that day.

She really couldn't blame the car accident with Joey on Kaiba, for she was the one who was desperately trying to leave the car. However, she did want to get out of the car so she could continue her duties of being a secretary to _him_. 

And the Bolidaman thing that screwed her career. That dreaded, evil, _wrong _Bolidaman factor that jeopardized the future of her boss's company. Although she wasn't aware of the whole story, (seeing as how she got the 411 from Mokuba, and knowing that she wasn't really herself that moment) she knew that seh was the sole reason of Calista whatver her middle initial is Bolidaman left the affiliation. And no matter how much Mokuba tried to convince Serenity that it was a good thing---it still had Serenity screwed.

Then, if all else couldn't possibly seem to get much worse, he gives her his sinister death glare/demented evil eye and sends her on a simple mission to get a file. While in the course of searching for that file, Serenity had several confused emotions, people started staring at her.... whatever, that's not half as important as what she did next: No, she didn't find the file, but she did admit to having a crush on her boss, which led to mental guilt and humiliation.

With her hands still clasped over her mouth like a lock, she continued pounding her way up the stairs.

$*$*

__

"Keep running, it's not like it's gonna erase what you did...."

Serenity had rushed up at least a hundred of the robin egg-speckled steps. Trying to ignore her mind as best as she could, but she couldn't blame the mind for all of its criticism, she did do something rather wrong....or at least in her mind's opinion she did.

But how far and for how long can a girl run in an enclosed building?

Serenity knew that soon she'd have to risk her life and walk into her boss's office.

She could hear the thudding of her feet against the steps. She could feel the steam around her lips from clasping her mouth so unboundlessly. 

It all started when Serenity was still thundering up the steps, a bit dizzy from all the running, yet still scurrying nevertheless. She wasn't quite sure how far or how close she was to her boss's office, until she heard voices coming from an abondoned elevator.

She grabbed the nearest stairway railing, and tried to unglue the clasp of her hands from her mouth.

She looked behind her, sniffing that nasty tobacco smell, only to find that broken-down elevator lowered from its usual resting spot.

She stopped just to hear these voices, these echoing voices. Obviously belonging to men that were fixing the elevator, for the voices were rough, and the elevator was not in its usual snug compartment. It was lowered, giving the impression that the wires were somewhat messed up. 

But what was wrong with the elevator had nothing to do with why she had stopped. In fact, the sole reason she had stopped was because of the elevator's _position_. 

This certain elevator that Serenity had chosen to stop by was located directly beside a potted banana tree, and was in the hallway that smelled of tobacco smoke from the janitors' closet two doors away.

This elevator was only two floors away from Kaiba's office. Not too far to run now, Serenity.

//I'm not like your mind, so I won't criticize you in ways that will only lower your self-confidence even more. But since you have just realized the distance betwen you and your destination, might I recommend unlocking you hands from your mouth and straightening yourself up? You really don't want to go into his office looking like _that_, do you? Fix your posture, look lady-like for Ra's sake.//

Serenity looked around herself for a second. 

No one was behind her, nor was there anyone in front of her. There was no one at any of her sides (she was on a stairway, a very narrow one).

She started by taking away her sealed hands from her mouth, bringing forth fresh, cool air. A few seconds later, she released her sweaty-palmed hands from the strictly-shiny railing which caused a perspiration bond between her hand and the rail. She acted as if she were yawning, though in reality she was simply cracking her back to get her nerves running again. She ran her fingers through her hair that was still as silky as milk. She would run her fingers through her hair at least ten thorough times. She wouldn't be satisfied until she eliminated any sort of bumps that would've caused her auburn locks to look imcompetent.

Once satisfied with her hair, Serenity ran her hands down her dress, trying to destroy wrinkles or unwanted hem ruffles. 

She glanced down herself; her guava-pink and brown peasant dress seemed fine.

Now then, all that remained was how Serenity held herself. 

Image was, is, and forever will be everything that will aid in regaining a reputation. And Serenity's main goal here was to quit her slouching and walk like a professional....

Serenity put her hands on her hips, and thought about how she would try to uphold her image. With her legs crossed fashionably on the stairs, she looked into the bordering hallway, and tried to observe some of the girls.

It's not often that you look into an empty hallway and see a girl walking the very moment you're expecting one. So, obviously Serenity had to wait a few minutes to actually hear any click-clacks of heels, or any sort of gossiping giggles from feminine human beings.

Still awaiting sounds, Serenity started tapping her feet anxiously upon the step. 

__

"I'd hate to admit it..."

****

"But you _do_ want to walk like someone who has confidence within herself...."

//And the person you are acquainted with best that is full of confidence-in fact, too much of it- is....//

"Calista Bolidaman," Serenity sighed to herself as she toyed with a bang of her hair that was carelessly hanging down. She knew she was severely wasting time, but she kind of was stalling. 

__

"You're on a time limit too."

****

"Yes, do not waste time trying to see girls walking---that's stupid if you ask me."

__

//To walk like Bolidaman, simply straighten your back, sway you arms to your side like a--I don't know, just sway your arms smoothly. But you mustn't forget that very annoying yet crucial Bolidaman feature: Press your feet stubbornly as you walk to stress that click-clacking sound.//

"Walk like Bolidaman? Interesting enough...." Serenity trailed off.

She released her strand of hair and looked at the step ahead of her. She uncrossed her legs, and swayed her arms smoothly---well, close enough. (You can't really master Bolidaman's walk in a few minutes.) She slowly put one leg in front of the other, and repeated this as she dug her feet into the step. 

She continued this pattern, one step (literally) at a time. There were only about seven more steps until the next small landing came, which would lead her to the set of flights, and then she'd only be a flight away from her destination.

__

One step down, six to go...

"She resembles a goat that's choking and desperately trying to climb the stairs at the same time."

"That's not nice...to the goat!" 

//Leave her alone, and could you try to be a little more motivational? Constructive criticism is welcomed, but this is mean!//

Serenity ignored her mind, again, and tried to conquer these steps, Bolidaman style.

Five steps to go.

//If you wish to stop, then by all means, stop. But what will that prove? I completely understand if you can't keep your posture straight and can't look dignified.....I assure you that Mr. Kaiba will realize that he made just a small little mistake in hiring you, when he's searching for a new secretary.//

****

"Are you kidding me? Does she honestly think that Serenity's gonna fall for that?"

__

"Keep your temper down, Conscience. Serenity's not stupid enough to give-in so easily. Serenity's not one to weakly fall for reverse-psychology...."

"Say what you wish," Serenity interrupted her mind, "but I can walk up these steps gracefully. I don't have to prove anything to you, I'm simply doing this to---never mind."

//Well then, continue doing what you're doing and stop wasting time talking to me.//

Serenity looked around herself once again just to make sure that no one was watching her talk to herself for like the third time that day. Once she scanned the portion around her and clearly saw that no one was watching her, she continued with her promenade.

"And if Bolidaman can do it," Serenity started to say as she perfectly click-clacked her foot onto the next step, "so can I."

$*$*

__

"So it seems Serenity is obedient to our new 'friend', don't you agree?"

****

"I know it all too well that Serenity is not obedient to the parasite as much as she is forced." 

__

"Forced? Really, Conscience, Serenity couldn't be forced by the 'parasite'." 

****

"What makes you think that?"

"Why, the simple fact that I am Serenity's subconscience mind, and you her subconscience.... uhh...conscience."

****

"SO?"

"The parasite's not nearly strong enough to defeat the two strongest figments in the body. She doesn't have that type of power."

****

"You are mistaken, mind. The being--whatever she is--has a great force that can even take over our host's body at will."

"I am aware of that: I have seen it done."

****

"And still you are confident that you will be victorious over the being? You are losing IQ points."

"Conscience, everything and everybody has a weakness within themselves. Though powerful, our new playmate has to have something that causes her to break down.....We just have to find the right button."

****

"Ahhhh...so you are planning something?"

"Not so much planning 'something' rather than planning a destruction. But that button is a vital key if this destruction is to be successful."

****

"And when we find that right button..."

"Let's just say that the parasite will have to find a new host to infect."

****

"You are evil."

"I know; it's a gift."

****

"And what does this 'plan of destruction' consist of?"

"Let's just focus on the fact that this destruction involves a lot of teamwork. All other questions will be answered in good time."

****

"You sound like the parasite."

"I'm trying to preserve her while we can. She will be going bye-bye soon. *cackles evilly*"

****

"*smirks*"

$*$*$*

//Do they think I can't hear them? *sigh*// the voice asked as she continued supervising Serenity.

Only four steps until the next landing.

Serenity continued perfectly as she click-clacked and smoothy swung her arms. Her posture was perfect, her movement was perfect, and the sounds her heels were making cloned those of Bolidaman.

Again, she lifted her left foot, excellently clacked it onto the stair, and she repeated this with the right leg.

__

Three steps remaining....

//Not that I like Bolidaman or anything, but you're pulling off her look quite well. It was a good choice to try to imitate her.//

Serenity ignored this. Her main focus was to uphold her image. She had no time to waste.

She stepped elegantly onto the next step. Soon, she'd have to do the same with the next flight of steps, and then she'd have to face her boss. 

"No negative thoughts," she mumbled to herself as she tediously made it to the next step.

__

Two steps to go.

This careful walking reminded Serenity about the day she climbed Kaiba's wall. It was a bit of a flashback for her. 

She remembered how she had to jump nearly twenty-five times to get to the top of the wall. She also recalled how the instant she touched the wall's tip, she fell down.

When she fell down, she decided to climb the tree (that was conveniently located on the sidewalk she had just fallen on) not even three feet away from the wall. It had a branch, not too strong, but still a branch, hanging over a teeny-tiny part of the wall.

She remembered climbing that tree like this: Serenity put her right foot onto the next step. She had never been much of a climber, but she climbed that tree perfectly anyway. Serenity put her next foot onto the step.

__

Only one step left to go...

Quickly, trying to get the climbing of stairs over with, she pressed her foot forcefully onto the next step.

//Wonderful, Serenity! There's not too far to go now.//

__

"Wonderful?"

****

"I don't know....I'm still sticking with my choking goat criticism, wouldn't you agree?."

__

Silence...

****

"Are you there?!"

"I think we were wrong about that."

****

"What do you mean?"

__

"I mean it was wrong of us to call her a choking goat."

****

"*thinking* Yeah, you're right."

__

Silence....

"She resembles a hacking donkey!"

****

"We were made to be best friends."

//Ignore them. You made it this far without listening to those pigs that are *suposed to be* running your body. If anybody's to blame for any flaws-//

****

"Any? We're talking MANY!"

//Anyway, the mind and conscience should be blamed for not running you properly!//

"But, you are my conscience," Serenity replied to the voice, a foot in midair ready to claim the landing.

She finally put her foot down on the next landing. She could almost hear Mokuba's Game Boy from the floor above.

//You made it! Only one flight to go!// the voice said happily, changing the subject.

"But-"

//Don't fritter away time. Hurry up and get to your boss's office!//

"Wait, at least tell me-"

//Remember what I told you: All questions in good time?//

"Please, I wanna know-"

//Hurry before he calls the paper for an add that reads "NEW SECRETARY WANTED!"//

"Fine, but I haven't forgotten about this," she muttered as she started on heading for the next flight of steps.

$*$*$*

****

"Oooohhhhh......Somebody just caught themselves in their own web of white lies."

__

"Then I believe we have just found somebody's weakness!"

$

*

$

*

//I can seriously hear you guys....// the voice warned as she continued supervising Serenity.

$ $

* *

$ $ 

* * 

$ $

* *

$

Mokuba, who was intently involved in his Konami Arcade-Advanced Game Boy Advanced SP game, looked up from his place on the extremely cushy black couch. His face showed distress as he carelessly threw his game to the side of the couch.

He jumped up, showing acute signs of anxiousness. 

"Is Bolidaman back?!" Mokuba asked in sheer horror as he heard click-clacks coming from down the hallway. 

With his pace quickening, he hastenend to the etched doors of Serenity's office, trying to see the Gargoyle's face when she was far enough into the hallway. 

He saw a silhouette of a figure! She's coming!

The click-clacks were getting louder! Poor Mokuba...We all know how much he despises Bolidaman.

Being a brave little kid, Mokuba looked through the etched glass doors again. No face was able to be seen since the figure was still too far away. Yet the sounds of the figure were quite distinguishable....

"Doesn't she ever go away? Can't she just die?!" he asked himself, full of tears. "What if she did something to Serenity!"

$*

Knowing that he had no time to waste, Mokuba opened the glass doors, and he ran down the hallway.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

The beautifully engraved doors that led to Serenity's office were opened with Serenity Wheeler coming a bit angrily inside, with Mokuba following _very closely_ behind.

"You know," Serenity said as she yanked Mokuba by the ear into her office, "charging into people screaming 'I HATE YOU BOLIDAMAN!' is not a good idea-especially when it's not Bolidaman you're attacking. It's not such a good idea to scream it when it's Bolidaman also."

"Owwww! I said I was sorry!" Mokuba complained as his voice started squeaking. It wasn't Mokuba's fault that he started ramming into Serenity, without even a good look at her. And I'm sure that you can't blame Mokuba for causing Serenity to trip terribly so that she would collapse on her legs on the very spot Bolidaman jabbed her with the shoe... Poor, poor Mokuba....He wasn't at all fast enough to escape Serenity's long legs chasing him (his legs are pretty tiny, and his guilty conscience made him drag a little).

Serenity, still grasping Mokuba's ear, walked in front of Mokuba, but Mokuba refused to look at her. (He shifted his head every way he could so he could ignore her.)

Serenity smiled sweetly at Mokuba as she released his ear. Mokuba scowled in her direction as he sat down on the couch in a huff of anger, pressing his back powefully into the couch.

"I could report you to Seto," he alerted as he kept his head away from Serenity's direction. "He could have you fired for child abuse."

Serenity, who was gently tapping her foot into the room's rug, looked down at Mokuba. "Are you honestly gonna report me? He will probably fire me, if you do, and then you'll have to deal with a new fangirl/secretary pinching your cheeks all the time."

"You know I'd never report you," he mumbled in an extremely low hertz as he crossed his arms and continued to avoid Serenity's face.

Serenity put her hands on her legs and lowered herself down to Mokuba's level. Mokuba simply shifted his head some more to brush his bushy black hair into Serenity's face.

"You're so sweet," she said happily as she ruffled his black hair softly. "Thank you." She playfully disheveled his hair a bit more before extracting her hand from the raven forest. 

Mokuba, in return, blushed a little. But being a Kaiba, he was unhappy with Serenity at the moment. He just tried to give the cold shoulder like his older brother would, but he needed a bit more practice with that.

Serenity giggled as she highered herself to her full posture.

__

"You're on a mission, Serenity."

Serenity sighed as she remembered what she had to do. She turned herself around to look behind her. A large sigh escaped her mouth when she saw the dreaded doors that led to her boss's office. She was so close...is that why she wanted to get away from there so badly? He was probably in there right now, listening to every word she spoke because that was the kind of man Serenity donned him as. 

"Did you get the file?" interrupted Serenity's thoughts. 

Serenity turned back around to actually find Mokuba staring at his feet nervously. Did he know something she didn't know? What she didn't know was the fact that Mokuba had his eyes menacingly shaded, but she couldn't see that due to the fact that his head was drooped so low.

Serenity lowered her voice to a whisper she hoped Seto Kaiba couldn't hear. "You know about that? Mokuba please--tell me where that file is: I couldn't find it!" Serenity anxiously came closer to Mokuba.

"Then you should see Seto about that," Mokuba barely whispered back as he dug one foot of his into the carpet.

"Please, Mokuba...."

Mokuba tried to ignore Serenity as he fidgeted with his feet. He urgently wished that she would just go and see her brother because that was the thing most necessary at the moment. "That file was important....You--if you lost it, then you should talk to Seto about it."

"But he'll fire me!" Serenity reminded with upset showing in her eyes as she came closer to Mokuba. 

Serenity looked at Mokuba desperately as she stopped about two feet away from him. Now that the moment of truth had arrived, Serenity knew what she had to do, but also she knew what kind of fear was inside of her. Nevertheless, she awaited Mokuba's answer with anxiety building like a tower of blocks inside of her.

Like her brother, and like his brother, Mokuba remained silent and continued with his stare at the shoelace that was slowly unraveling from his shoe.

If silence could kill, Serenity Wheeler would've been pronounced dead a while ago, but she had stamina within herself. No matter how much the men in her life tried to toy with her and tried to psyche her out, she could withstand them. Mokuba being the easiest so far to withstand, despite the knots her stomach had laced.

"Fine, Mokuba, if this is your way of getting me into the office then I will go. But remember this: I am not going to prove anything to anybody 'cause I am better than that!" And that's the last 35 words Mokuba heard from Serenity in a looooonnnnnng time. 

The next time Mokuba saw Serenity, she wouldn't be herself at all, literally.

Serenity gave a (final) sharp glare to Mokuba as she finally stomped off into her boss's office. I give her credit for she did have extreme determination within herself, but soon she'd learn that confidence was not the biggest issue here. 

$ $ 

* * 

$ $ 

* * 

$ $

* *

$

$ $ 

* * 

$ $ 

* * 

$ $

* *

$

Mokuba jumped from the black couch as he heard the cursed bell ring. 

The four o'clock bell rang sooner than Mokuba had expected, and he knew that with the four o'clock bell, Serenity would leave, and most likely she'd leave..._forever_. 

Kaiba's office doors quickly swung open, and the poor dear called Serenity came rushing out with not so much as tears but "Why did this happen to me?!" in her eyes. 

After spending only about five to ten minutes in the office, Serenity quickly sped out, never looking back. 

"Bye, Serenity," he said softly to her as he held his face down, not allowing her to see his tear-filled eyes. He started to pretend that he was in love with his feet again. 

Serenity, who was just in front of her etched office doors, stopped. Probably for a split-second, but she stopped. Now, most people would've classified the sound as being from a small rat nibbling a piece of cheese from a corner somewhere, but Mokuba still sticks with the fact that he heard Serenity mumble:

"Goodbye, Mokuba...."

And as these sounds were heard, the Blue Eyes White Dragon door opened slowly, as if it was hesitating Serenity's departure. Like curtains parting, the doors gave way for Serenity. 

As Mokuba saw her rush out of the room, he hung her head low for he knew what she had just gone through. 

She didn't bother to say goodbye to her boss, or her friends, and she didn't bother to even mutter another word in the presence of Mokuba. She did nothing but quickly walk away forgetting the company, forgetting Mokuba, forgetting Marie....and of course, forgetting Kaiba. But Mokuba wasn't sure whether or not that was Serenity's goal. 

$*$*$* 

And she walked out of the office pretending like it was an average day, but she knew all too well that it wasn't. So nobody's sure if or when they would ever see her again.

$*$*$*

As she entered the main lobby, her direction went towards the side with the main secretary perched at a large, semi-circle shaped desk.

The secretary was just penciling in a few appointments when she saw Serenity's silhouette head not for the main exit, but for the deak. 

The secretary looked up at Serenity with an irritated expression on. Although Serenity's face was much silhoutetted by her sadistically-shaded bangs, the secretary recognized Serenity. She did not enjoy being bothered from her work, especially by the main secretary of the whole company. (Which was a title that the secretary very much envied.)

"May I help you?" she asked Serenity's drooped face with a gritted smile as she twirled her fingers around a pencil.

"Yes, I need some papers and I was wondering if this was the place to get them," Serenity replied in a voice that wasn't hers but that of a depressed patient.

"Depends," replied the secretary in a bitter/annoyed tone, "what kind of papers are you looking for?"

The secretary's eyes squinted with jealousy and expectation, and Serenity simply took a deep breath as she got ready to reply the secretary.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

She sat watching all of Domino rush home from their days. Blinking lights and sounds of men calling cabs were heard as Serenity pressed her back against the weathered, green plastic beack seat of the bus. Today, the sky seemed to have grown darker than it would at around 4:30 p.m......It seemed so mean with all of the purple gloom it seemed to carry today.

__

Tomorrow's just another day...

The people of Japan moved everyday in a uniformed fashion. They got up, they got ready for work, they went to work, they came home. That's the way it would always be for them, and Sereniy had that fashion set for her for at least as long as she would need money for tuition and her mother, of course. 

__

Another way to spend my day..all by myself...

If everyone in Japan had this schedule in their lives, who was Serenity to disrupt hers? She was sure that every working person couldn't have enjoyed working everyday. They worked to support a family, to pay bills, for health reasons etc..... But why couldn't **_she*_** handle her schedule? She had reasons for working other than herself, so why **_did*_** she break down to **_quit*_** helping? 

"I guess it wasn't in me..." she said to herself as she flicked a corner of a file she was holding. It wasn't actually a file, more of a document within that file that lighted the main lobby's secretary's face when Serenity asked for this document. It was a document she was sure her brother would be pleased with. So then, why did she feel so bad again?

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

It seems so wrong when you feel so confused, yet the whole world continues their lives as if nothing happened. During these certain moments, you tend to ask yourself "How can they look so happy?" You seem to forget that your problems, despite how large they may first appear, might not be the problems that the rest of the world is faced with... 

And that's exactly how Serenity felt when she was leaving the bus. When she had to walk the whole length of the bus to reach the exit. As she walked, she felt nothing but confusion within when she saw the children in the front row laughing, or the old women in the rows just ahead of her gossiping about who their grandsons would marry. It didn't feel right when she saw the teenage girls just about her age listening to music and lipsinging along with the song on their MP3 players. With all those people hanging onto bus hooks with just simple expressions on their faces....it left Serenity just a bot dazed. 

She quickened her pace steadily as she went to her destination. When she did reach the front of the jammed bus, she said a quick thank you to the bus driver, as was her custom, and slowly walked down the four steps that the bus had.

$*$*$*$*$*

The bus stop was never near Serenity's house; it was about a block away actually. So everyday, Serenity would have to do some walking to get safely home. This path usually frightened Serenity, especially on dark days like these. But as days come and days switch colors, feelings take their turn revolving as well. 

Today, Serenity wasn't sure whether or not the distance from her bus stop and home was a good thing, or just another obstacle prolonging her doom. Remember, she hadn't forgotten about her brother and what she did to him...

$*$*

She could see her house from the narrow sidewalk she was walking on. She could just see her house's very tip from the at least five houses in between. 

She perked up her ears for she knew that today, she would be able to hear her brother today, despite her still large distance from her house. 

$*

There was this large, at least seven-feet tall bush that was like a marker that Serenity was only about five yards from her house....Litttle did she know that she would never get past that bush, at least tonight she wouldn't.....

It all started when she was but a bush's blocking from her house. A mere turn from the large shrub in front of her would allow her to view her house clearly. Serenity felt tight knots weaving themselves tighter in her stomach. 

But Serenity was trying to be a strong girl that day, so she increased the clutch around her file, and she walked steadily in her house's direction.....But not before brushing past the bush first...

The very nanosecond that Serenity was rounding around the bush to get home, a pair of black-gloved hands reached from the bush only a few inches behind Serenity, and they quickly grabbed Serenity's mouth.

Serenity turned around somewhat the instant she heard something from the shrub behind her, but apparently, she was too slow... 

This person, whomever they were, was extremely fast for withing a few more seconds, they had Serenity's mouth covered and her waist in a tight grip. 

"MMMMMMMM!!!!!"

Startled, Serenity started to scream in a panicky tone, but that voice was of little use, for the gloves muffled every little sound she made. 

She started moving like a fish that was just taken out of its water. She wobbled and fidgeted terribly--anything to get away. She kcked her legs frantically, and she waved her arms (to her best ability) as if she was trying to fly. 

She tried kicking whoever this was, but this person was taller than her, and very much stronger, for their grip around Serenity's mouth did not waver.

__

This is bad! Get off of me! I wanna go home! Wait-what's he gonna do with me? What does he want with me? Is he gonna kidnap me? What if he has a weapon right now, and if I make the wrong move..........

Serenity's mind kept hurrying wth fears like fish racing in a river. These thoughts wanted her to continue her kicking and attempts at screaming, but they also cautioned her to stop becoming so panicky.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!" Serenity desperately called out for attention, but the gloves' muffling made it sound like no more than a simple, inaudible grunt. 

Her file! She had to protect that file! Quickly, Serenity focused her hands' grip on the file, making sure that it was caused no harm during this ordeal. She tried rolling the file into a telescope-shaped tube. Perhaps it would serve as a good weapon? 

__

Where is the over-crowded population of Domino when you need them?-- Was the small thought pacing in the back of Serenity's mind.

She desperately tried to look up at whomever it was doing this to her, but this "villain" was holding Serenity's mouth down so that it would bend her head down in a very uncomfortable manner, and that she would cause a sprain in her neck whenever she tried to move it.

__

Use the damn file already! Serenity's mind ordered. Serenity, being very obedient at the moment tried to do exactly that. With the file like a tube in her hands, she started waving her arms again in that trying-to-fly manner, but the person--it said something. 

"Now then, Serenity, don't make a sound, and everything will go by much more easily...."

The person was talking! Advising her to stay still, and Serenity listened to that part. But the voice...though unpredictable with all of its coarse rhythms and hoarse connotations, it definitely sounded familiar. Was someone trying to kidnap Serenity? Was this Bolidaman's cruel, cruel way of getting revenge? 

__

There's no time to waste! Quickly try to escape...

"Wad oo you wantav ithm ee?" Serenity's mumbles asked loudly, her arms still trying to hit the person's head. 

"Quiet! Tea told you to be quiet!" came a **very **recognizable voice from somewhere near. Wait-did it just say _Tea_? 

"Yeah, Serenity, you could at least try to stop squirming," the voice said as it released Serenity's mouth and her waist. 

Serenity, being recently liberated, immediately jumped away from the person, and she turned around just to see who it was.

Serenity's face went white as a ghost as soon as she saw who did this to her.

"TEA?!" she asked in an utter state of bafflement. She was confused, to say the least...Her arms simply dropped to her sides, and her eyes went big like dinner plates. "TEA?!" Serenity asked again, with her mouth's hinges hanging opened.

Tea gave Serenity a simply expression, and she simply asked, "Who were you expecting?"

Serenity stared again in confusion. "N-not you," she stuttered, "I w-was expecting someone evil...Not like you at all. I was expecting a man that was trying to hurt me-not you-TEA?!" Serenity started backing up a bit, but just a bit for she knew that there was a street behind her, and she didn't wanna take any chances.

"Yes, now that we've got Tea's name down," came Yugi's voice from behind the shrub, "Let's focus on _why_ Tea did this to you." Yugi appeared from behind the large bush with a simple expression on.

__

"Well, this show just seemed to have gotten better."

****

"Yes, I do wish I had some popcorn at this moment."

//Now, Serenity, keep your temper down and give them a chance to explain themselves. I'm sure that what they did was some sort of-//

"YUGI?!" Serenity asked as her eyes went bigger, "DID JOEY TELL YOU TO DO THIS? WAS THIS HIS SORT OF PUNISHMENT? DID HE ASK YOU TO SCARE THE LIVING DAYLIGHT OUT OF ME? WAS IT HIS PLAN TO MAKE ME FEEL SO DEFENSELESS AND SCARED, AND MAKE ME FEEL SO VULNERABLE? 'CAUSE IF HE DID... HIS SICK PLAN WORKED!" Serenity shrieked angrily. "I'M SURPRISED TRISTAN AND DUKE AREN'T OUT HERE HOLDING A GUN TO MY BACK!" 

Tea and Yugi exchanged nervous glances, "Keep your voice down," Yugi shushed as he lowered his hand. "Joey doesn't know we're doing this."

"And neither do Tristan and Duke," Tea explained as she reached her hands out to Serenity who was on the street, "But they'll find out soon enough if you continue to scream like that."

"_Find out what?" _Serenity asked bitterly as she declined Tea's hands and came closer to Yugi and Tea. "Find out that you two were trying to scare me to death? Hmmm? I don't think _I_ should be the one keeping my voice down after _you two_ did this to me!"

Tea and Yugi rolled their eyes and exchanged glances again. Both of them getting rather annoyed, they thought that they should finally explain to the raging Serenity why they did what they did. They were good friends and they thought that they had a right to explain to Serenity what just happened, and they also wanted to shut her up 'cause her persistent yelling was getting annoying.

"Serenity," Tea started to say as she started to from a smile upon her face, "how would you like to sleepover at my place tonight?"

Serenity looked at Tea suspiciously. Her eyes somewhat scanned Tea as if trying to uncover a deep secret. "Why?" Serenity asked in a hoarse whisper, her eyes squinted viciously. 

"What do you men 'why'?" Tea asked angrily as her arms went to her hips, "Can't a girl try to invite her friend to a slumber party? Of course, it'll probably be only the two of us, but we'll be able to catch-up on old times and stuff..." Tea trailed off as she put on a face that was trying to portray happiness while trying to hide a large sweatdrop.

"I'm not asking why you're inviting me, Tea," Serenity started to explain as she darted her eyes between Yugi and Tea, "I'm asking why should I go? Think of it more as a question concerning why you two won't let me go home, and where's Joey?"

Yugi opened his mouth to try and answer, but Tea quickly cut in:

"Joey's not home right now, and he's not sure what time he'll get back, so he asked me to take you in for the night," Tea explained as her eyes went nervous. "Nobody's home right now," She quickly added as a massive sweatdrop appeared behind her head.

Yugi smacked his hand on his forehead, and Serenity immediately realized this as a sign that Tea must've told the wrong tale. 

"Nice excuse, Tea," Yugi mumbled as he turned around, to embarrassed to look at Serenity when she replied. 

"Is that so, Tea?" Serenity asked sweetly as she smiled, "Then why be so worried that Joey, and Tristan, and Duke will hear me? If he's not in the house then he _couldn't _be able to hear me, right? I thought that there was nobody in the house." Serenity crossed her hands in front of herself, and she smiled so confidently at Tea that Tea started getting nervous. All the while tapping her foot, ad twirling the rolled file in one of her hand's grip. 

Tea took in a large breath as she decided to tell Serenity the truth, "Serenity, you're coming home with me tonight," Tea explained as she grabbed Serenity's hand.

Serenity looked down at Tea's hand holding hers "What the-_Let go of me, Tea,"_ she warned cautiously. "I am just about two seconds away from screaming my lungs off, and Joey won't be too pleased if he hears me and comes out here only to find you forcing me to go with you."

"Serenity," Yugi said in such a reassuring voice, "Would _I_ ever do anything to hurt you or harm you in any type of way?" 

Serenity looked at Tea's grasping hand, and then she darted her eyes toward Yugi, "I'd normally say No," she muttered as she slowly shook her head. "But I can't be so sure about that answer anymore." She recalled the near-kidnapping incident that took place only about five minutes ago. 

"But you know how important friends are to me, Serenity. You're my friend too, and you should know that I could never hurt you." He gave her a confident look, "Please go with Tea: She'll explain everything." Yugi gave a strict look in Tea's direction.

"Serenity," Tea said as she sighed, "We're doing this for your own safety. Please listen to us. If you don't approve of what we're doing, then you can leave. But at least give us a chance to explain ourselves first. Please?"

"Fine, I'll listen to you but only because Yugi said so," Serenity explained, "You've got two mnutes." Serenity relaxed her arm and awaited her answer patiently.

"Two minutes?" Yugi asked, staring at his watch, "That's just the amount of time you'll need." Yugi jerked his head in the direction beyond Serenity.

Serenity followed Yugi's stare and she gasped at what she saw. "Oh-oh no...You are going to explain everything right here!" She said to Tea and Yugi as she jammed her foot into the concrete sidewalk. "I am not going with you on THAT!" 

She gave an extremely sharp and angry look in Tea and Yugi's direction. Well, it wasn't Yugi she was actually talking to anymore....

She saw Tea simply smirking, and she saw Yami looking into Serenity's eyes fixedly. 

Serenity turned her stare, to avoid Yami's stare, towards the bus behind her again. "I am NOT going with the two of you on that! I am staying right here, and you will explain this to me right now!" she exclaimed as she tried to draw her arm back from Tea, but Tea had it in her own little zealous grasp. 

"Serenity," Yami said as he grabbed Serenity's hand, trying to calm her down a bit, "Listen to me: Go on that bus with Tea, and everything will be explained to you."

"No way-" Serenity started saying but was cut off by her own little voice.

//Listen to Yami, he knows what is best for you...//

And after that little voice spoke, a phenomenon occurred that Tea and Yami still keep in extreme detail to this very day. Serenity's eyes, though hazel in color naturally, turned a somewhat pale, blue color. Not a rich and sapphire-shaded blue like it would turn if her eyes ever did change color, but a pale and obtuse blue that resembled a foggy afternoon's sky. Though a subtle change, Tea and Yami still remember seeing hazel turn lighter and lighter, until it had no color, and then seeing a bluish color appear. It wasn't a complete change in her eyes, but it seemed like Serenity was only ½ herself that moment.

Yami immediately released Serenity's hand. He knew that restraining Serenity would be of no more use.

"Fine, Yami," Serenity robotically responded in a voice that seemed to quaver slightly, "I'll go with Tea." Serenity grabbed Tea's hands harder, and awaited for Tea to take her to the bus stop behind her.

Tea looked skeptically at Serenity, then shifted her focus to Yami. "Well, that was convenient," Tea simply said as she smiled at Yami.

"One of the many benefits of having a spirit within yourself," Yami answered, bragging a bit, "But you must hurry. The bus will be departing soon."

Tea smiled back at Yami, "Yeah, I have to admit, you have many gifts-you being a spirit and everything." She started to pull the robot called Serenity behind her as she said a quick goodbye to the pharoah.

"Oh, but I wasn't talking about myself," Yami said with his eyes closed, as he stroked his chin.

"Hmm?" Tea asked as she turned around to see him standing there smugly. He was almost teasing her like he had a secret that she didn't know, nor could she ever know.

"Never mind," Yami answered, "I'll go get Joey. You go get Serenity onto the bus."

"Ok," Tea answered as she started pulling Serenity again towards the bus stop.

$*

And that's exactly what Tea did. She got Serenity to the bus stop, and she got onto the bus with Serenity, ready to go home.

$*$*$*$*$*

The very instant that Serenity felt the cold leather of the seat underneath her, her eyes returned to their full hazel beauty, and she looked around herself extremely confused.

The bus: It was moving according to the flashes of people passing by before her. 

"Huh?" she asked as she stared around herself.

She was sitting on the back seat, again...right next to the window...

"The bus?" she asked, "I was just on the bus..." she trailed off to look around her. This wasn't a stop she would usually pass: This is the stop she would normally get off at. And that wasn't the bus driver who would drive the Monday afternoon bus home.

"Tea?!" she asked as she saw Tea sitting quietly down next to her. "Tea....how-d you-why am I---How did I agree to come on the bus with you?" she asked as her eyebrows went down. "The last time I checked, you and Yugi were trying to scare the hell out of with me by pulling off some sort of kidnapping scene!" Serenity gave Tea another vicious look. "So why am I here?"

"Feeling better, Serenity?" Tea asked as she started to yawn. "You agreed to come with me, remember?" Tea asked knowing that Serenity wasn't in her right mind when she agreed.

"I want to know why am I here? Why did I agree to come with you?" Serenity asked impatiently as she started to fidget with her rolled-up file. 

"You agreed to come with me 'cause I'm your friend, remember? Yugi asked you to go with me, and you said 'Fine, I'll go with Tea' or something like that," Tea explained. 

Serenity scanned her mind for a moment. Yes, she _did_ remember Yami--not Yugi-- asking her again to go with Tea...and she surprisingly agreed. But why? She didn't wanna go with Tea, so why was she here, sitting on a bus to Tea's house.

__

Yugi probably used some of his magic on me...Serenity thought angrily. "Well, Tea," she snapped, "I hope you know that I am not staying. I'm getting off at the next stop and I'll walk home for all I care!" Serenity explained knowing that the bus was in motion and she couldn't get off at the moment.

"I'm getting off at the next stop, too," Tea explained with a smile too perky for Serenity's liking on her face. "I guess we'll get off together."

"Wait-" Serenity started to say, "If you're getting off at the next stop then..."

"NEXT STOP: KOUJI** AVENUE!" the bus driver exclaimed, as if on cue the instant that Serenity started to speak.

"Home sweet home," Tea said smugly as she relaxed onto the seat. "I suppose you wanna know why I brought you here, huh Serenity?"

"Actually," Serenity said bitterly, "I don't wanna hear another word out of you. I'm too angry to listen. I've been through a lot today, and this doesn't make me feel too much better. Hmmph!" Serenity exclaimed as she jerked her neck nobly away from Tea, and shifted the rest of her body towards the window so that she wouldn't have to see Tea.

"Fine," Tea answered, "but it's a long bus ride home..."

"I can wait," Serenity muttered as she started tapping her fingers on her tube-shaped rolled-up file.

"Whatcha got in there, anyway?" Tea asked, recalling the file that Serenity was so anxiously holding.

A small "Hmmph!" was all that Tea got in reply to her question. But Tea didn't care. She had done her part, and she would explain everything to Serenity later...

$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$

"LAST STOP: EVERYBODY OFF!" The bus driver exclaimed as the Kouji Avenue bus station came into view. 

"Come on, Serenity! It's time to leave!" Tea said as she got up. Serenity did nothing but continue with her stanch stare at the window and the outside world. 

"I refuse to go anywhere with you, hmmph!" Serenity clarified as she started tapping her cylinder file against her knee. All the while, she was still staring outside. 

"It's either get off with me, or you can ride to the bus depot with the bus driver and spend the night sleeping in a cold bus, if you're lucky," Tea explained, outstretching her hands yet again.

"I'd rather take my chances sleeping in the bus," Serenity mumbled.

"Oh come on! You're being such a baby. Just hurry up, and come home with me. The bus driver's not gonna stay here forever. He's gonna have to move sooner or later with or without you and me on it!" Tea declared as she grabbed Serenity's elbow.

Serenity altered her window-facing focus to Tea with anger gleaming in her eyes like a bull's anger steaming from his snout. "Let go of me, Tea. I told you before that I refuse to go with you. Any attempts to change my mind would be futile, so I recommend that you let go of my elbow right now."

"You ladies getting off?" the bus driver called from his position at the very front of the bus, as he scanned the last two passengers that remained. "This's the last stop," he reminded.

"I'm aware of that," Tea said as irritation rose in her voice, "And could you give my friend and me a moment, please?" she asked, trying to calm herself as she looked up the aisle.

"No," Serenity answered forcefully, "I'm not getting off. I'm staying right here, and I completely, absolutely, certainly, no question about it refuse to move!" she cried out as she compellingly wrenched her elbow from Tea.

Tea gave a nasty scowl in Serenity's direction. "Come, on!" she ordered as she tried to lower her voice so that the bus driver wouldn't hear her yell.

"I said 'no', and that's the end of it!" Serenity repeated, not caring whether or not the bus driver heard. "Like I said: Any attempts to change my mind would be futile." 

"Fine then," the bus driver sighed as he started the bus's engine, "Then I'll have to drop you ladies off at the nearest shelter."

"Shelter?" Tea asked as she started walking up the aisle with an angered face on. "What do you mean _shelter_?"

"Yeah!" Serenity asked as she finally stood up. "You have to drop us off at the shelter? Why?" she asked as she mimicked Tea by walking towards the bus driver with an angered look on. "I refuse to go to the shelter!" 

"I'm with her," Tea said as she saw Serenity appear next to her, "I'm not getting off without her, but I have more than enough dignity than to go to a local shelter."

"But you have to," the driver explained as he pushed a button which caused the bus's doors to shut, "The local law requires me to drop any passengers that won't get off at the last stop at the nearest shelter. So unless you want to get off right now, you will be dropped off at the nearest shelter."

"Well," Serenity stammered, "I am definitely not going to any shelter."

Tea opened her mouth to say something, but Serenity was much faster this time, so she cut-in.

"And I refuse to go with you, Tea," she explained as she clarified that she refused to humor Tea.

"But, Miss," the driver tried to explain, "It's either you get off here, or I have to drop you off at the nearest shelter. You've got only about two options there."

Tea gave a victorious smirk in Serenity's direction. "Well then, Serenity....it's either come with me, or spend the night with hobos and alcoholics that are capable of doing who knows what. What's it gonna be?" Tea asked as she put her hands on her hips.

Serenity gave an infuriated look to Tea. She bit her lip nervously.

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$

"I'm ordering take-out. Do you want any?" Tea asked as she extended her hands to lay out a pair of pajamas for Serenity on the top bunk of her bunk bed. 

Tea looked up at Serenity who was currently hunched on the top bunk. Serenity paid no attention to Tea, and she continued writing something down in the document that she recently has rolled up like a tube.

After waiting for an answer for about a minute, Tea gave Serenity a scowl. She wasn't appreciating the attitiude that Serenity had seemed to develop today.

Tea, Tea, Tea....If only you had any idea of what Serenity had gone through today then maybe you wouldn't blame Serenity for having such an attitude. In one day, Serenity practically lost her brother's trust, ruined a multi-billion dollar affiliation, told one of her friends that she had a crush on SETO KAIBA, and had an encounter with her boss that----anyway, she had a bad day. 

"Did you hear me, Serenity? I asked if you wanted-"

"No, and I'm not wearing your pajamas either. They're probably too big for me anyway," Serenity explained as she started to scribble something down in whatever document was in the file that Serenity was clutching so tightly. "And do I have to sleep on the top bunk tonight? The ceiling's so close that I have to hunch myself to sit comfortably on it, and the mattress----It's so umcomfortable!" she complained as she felt the mattress around her, still avoiding to look at Tea.

"First of all, it's fine that you don't want dinner, and that you don't want to wear the pajamas. And yes, you're sleeping on the top bunk tonight despite its flaws, but I do have one complaint..." 

"Hmmm? What's that?" Serenity asked, not really caring as she continued filling out the papers she had gotten from the secretary at the main desk at KaibaCorp.

"You are giving me a real crappy attitude today, and I don't appreciate it! In fact, right now you're ignoring me, aren't you?"

"Hmmmm....." Serenity murmured as she started glancing over the paper again. She seemed confused by what she had just read, whatever it was.

Tea looked extremely crossly at Serenity. Ready to squeeze her little head off her little body, Tea had quite difficulty restraining herself from atttacking Serenity. 

"Serenity?" Tea asked sweetly like Serenity did when she was trying to make her anger for someone seem sarcastic, "Did you hear me?"

Serenity scrunched her eyebrows as she came to one question on the paper she was filling out. It was a rather peculiar question, but Serenity had just the right answer for it.

"No, no, and NO!" Serenity hissed as she wrote something down francitcally on the piece of paper. "I hated it! I hated it! I hated it! And....I HATED HIM!"

Tea's face started glowing red. Not red with blush, and it wasn't red from hanging upside-down for too long, but alas, a red that made angry flames look weak in color. Tea's eyes started squinting, her hands went into fists at her sides, and she practically started to exhale steam.

"Serenity....." Tea warned as she tapped her foot edgily upon the floor. "Are you even _listening _to me?" Tea hissed with an added emphasis on the S in listening.

Serenity, who was doing a marvelous job in not cracking-up, continued to ignore Tea, and she continued reading the piece of paper that was obviously so important.

__

"And what? May I ask, is so important that you're giving me the cold shoulder for? Huh? What the hell 

are you working on? Another love letter to your boss?!" Tea asked heatedly as she tried to release some 

of her anger. 'Love letter....' Tea thought to herself, 'That oughta get her attention....'

And Tea had no idea how right she was. The very instant that the words "your boss" and "love letter" were 

used in the same sentence Serenity's ears perked up with a very curious/angry implication to them. Her 

eyes went flaming with fury, and Tea definitely had Serenity's attention jidging by the way Serenity looked 

up at Tea and started giving her the look of death. 

"Love letter?!" Serenity asked as she immediately jerked her head up. "I assure you, Tea Gardner, that I am writing a love letter to no one especially SETO KAIBA! And no, I am not giving you an attitude, it's just that you happen to be the first person I'm actually having a conversation with ever since I had the worst day of my freakin' life. So I apologize if I come off rude to you at first, but I'm not having a good day, and your 'kidnapping' of me and bringing me here didn't help! And I haven't the slightest idea of where that vile thought originated from, but I assure you that I HATE, I REPEAT: HATE SETO KAIBA!!! SO GET THAT _THOUGHT_ OUT OF YOUR MIND AND BURN IT OR SOMETHING!"

Serenity started leaning against the top bunk's railing, her eyes threatening and almost daring Tea to make another move like that, or to say another word like that.

"Well then," Tea said as she lowered her head, "My goal was to get your attention, and I did that. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy my dinner, so I'm leaving," she said as she started moping herself out of the room. 

__

"I didn't know you had it in you, Serenity."

****

"Well why was Tea being so pesky? She should've left Serenity alone. I think Tea got exactly what she deserved." 

"Drama Queen..." Serenity mumbled as Tea finally slammed the door and left. "I finally get some peace and quiet around here."

Serenity put away the paper she was working on, and she jammed it under her pillow. As if her day wasn't bad enough already, this paper, which was supposed to relieve her of her stress, just caused her more stress and got her into more trouble.

//I think that you really hurt Tea, Serenity. Perhaps it'd be best if you apologized?//

Serenity sighed as she thought of what she just did...she wish she could've apologized at that moment. She really and truly didn't know what had gotten into her. Tea was only asking about the attitude that Serenity was unfairly giving Tea. She would've said sorry, but she felt too embarrassed.

Serenity fell down on the pillow that Tea generously provided for her. She felt terribly about yelling at Tea like that, and giving her the anger that she had bottled up within herself all day.

'Maybe I _should_ go apologize now...' she thoguht to herself as she closed her eyes.

__

"What are you thinking, girl? Tea rudely cut into your business, and you even tried to tell her that you were trying to work in peace but-"

//That's a lie! You know very well that Tea asked Serenity about herself out of care for her friend! And Serenity did not try to explain to Tea why she was acting so strangely, in fact, she just pushed her anger more onto Tea! Serenity should apologize!//

****

"Quiet you parasite! You are a rude little bug that has no right speaking in these matters. You are actually one of the causes of the problems Serenity had to go through today! You make Serenity feel so feeble, and I say Tea deserved to be yelled at, and Serenity should not apologize! That's that!"

Serenity opened her eyes all too quickly. There were three voices speaking and arguing in her mind at the moment, and not one of them were her own thoughts. This afternoon, she had tried to ignore them, perhaps that's why she didn't notice them, but three voices....that wasn't right!

'Who-what are all of you? What are you doing in my mind? Get out! Get out! Get out!'

__

"It seems that now she is giving us the attitude."

****

"She's a very ungrateful child....tsk..tsk...tsk...."

//Relax, Serenity, I think it's time I tell you the truth-//

'Who are you?' Serenity interrupted. 

"She's a parasite! What more do you need to know?"

__

"Listen to your conscience. It knows what is best for you..."

'No, I wanna know who all of you are, right now!' Serenity persisted.

//It's time to answer your questions, I suppose, but first you need to fall into a deep slumber.// the soothing voice said as Serenity's eyelids got heavier and heavier and heavier....

$*

__

~"What's she doing?"~

****

~"I think she's--well I believe that she is causing Serenity to fall asleep."~

__

~"Impossible! I haven't sent the signal for sleep yet."~

****

~"You haven't, but the parasite has...."~

$*$*$*$*$*

__

Serenity found herself waking up to a puff of purple smoke in her face. Actually, not just a puff of smoke, but a whole room full of it was where Serenity awoke. 

"*cough*cough* Where am I?" _Serenity asked as she tried to lift herself up. When she did manage to hoist up her upperbody, her elbows were bent on something that felt hard._

"Stone? Why am I on stone?" _Serenity asked herself as she depicted, through the smoke, what exactly she was laying on._

"It's not just a piece of stone, Serenity. You're laying on a stone bed. Courtesy of the parasite...." Said a silhouette in the smoke that came closer and closer until it revealed itself.

A perfect carbon copy of Serenity appeared with the same hairstyle and the same outfit on as Serenity that day, through the smoke. 

"Who are you?" _Serenity asked as she lifted herself up completely. With her knees hanging off the side of the stone bed, Serenity looked skeptically at this replica of herself._

"I am called The Subconscience Mind. The supervisor of all your inner thoughts and feelings. You can't keep a secret from me because I'm the one who holds that secret...."

"What the----I'm in my mind?" _Serenity asked as she stared around herself._

"You're in a part of it: The Subconscience Part." Serenity's mind seemed to smile at her as it looked to its side, waiting for something to hasten and appear already.

****

"Yes, it was the parasite who brought you here, and it was that very parasite who had you laid like that onto the bed."

"She's finally here...." The mind mumbled.

"And who are you?" _Serenity asked the voice that had just arrived. _"What are you?" 

__

Then, on cue, an imitation of Serenity with her perfect and wrinkle-free school uniform on appeared through the smoke. She had her hair tied with a neat blue ribbon in the perfect ponytail.

"This," said The Mind, "is your conscience. The very overseer of all that you do. She tells you to do anything and everything that she believes is right."

****

"Uh-huh....I'm the second most powerful being in your whole body. The Subconscience Mind being the most powerful, of course."

The Mind seemed to beam at this praise.

"But...you're not my conscience," _Serenity said as she jumped off the bed to get a good look at the two Subconscience beings. _"My conscience is...erm....different. She's not you, and she doesn't have that voice."

__

//You are mistaken, conscience, you are now the third most powerful being in the body. The second being The Subconscience Mind, of course.// 

"That's my conscience!" _Serenity exclaimed as she jumped up-and-down in front of the two flabbergasted beings._

"That's not your conscience, Serenity," The mind supplied quickly.

****

"Yes, I am your real conscience!" The conscience explained while trying to settle down Serenity's excitement.

"N-no! You are not my conscience.....that voice we just heard is," _Serenity explained nervously as she looked skeptically at her "conscience". _

"Oh, but Serenity, this figment you see beside me is YOUR real conscience. The parasite even admitted it when she called her 'conscience'." The Mind looked at Serenity with a reassurring face on. "And who do you think you are," she called out into the purple smoke, "to don yourself as a being with more power than the two of us, hmmm? You are a mere bug using Serenity as a temporary host-"

"A bug?" _Serenity interrupted, _"But it was her voice I heard when I needed confidence. Recently, it was she that gave me soothing and confident-building thoughts. Not you two...."

__

The Subconscience Mind and the Conscience were left with their jaws hanging like hinges. They were baffled...to say the least.

"I don't believe it: Serenity's one under the spell of the parasite!" The Mind exclaimed. 

****

"She's been bewitched...the leech is stronger than I had ever imagined," The conscience explained to the Mind with worry upon her face.

"She's not a parasite, alright? I don't know what she is if you're the _Subconscience Mind_ and my conscience. All I know is that I remember her voice talking to me, and reassurring me all day when I wasn't feeling too well." _Serenity looked at the two beings with a sympathethic look on her face._

The beings gave her a strange look, almost daring her to do what they feared she was gonna do. 

"Where are you?" _Serenity called out into the smoke, not caring about the traumatized looks on the vaces of the beings in front of her. All Serenity cared about was finding this being that seemed to be like a beacon of light while the other two beings tried to cause Serenity's downfall for humor. _

//Greetings, Serenity// It welcomed with a voice that was far in the distance.

Serenity started smiling with great joy when she heard the reply. Once again ignoring the beings, she continued calling out to the being, whomever she was.

"You? Who are you? Why am I here? Why was I put on that stone bed?" _Serenity went further into the smoke, leaving the two beings in the dust._

__

//I'll tell you everything if you come and find me....//

"She's playing more games with her!" the mind complained as it looked at the conscience with anxiety and worry.

****

"That's not my main worry. My true concern is that Serenity is foolishly giving-in to the parasite like an obedient dog!" The conscience returned The Mind's worried expression.

"Then why don't you try to tame the dog?" the Mind asked with a sinister smiling forming upon her lips.

"Did you say something?" _Serenity asked, turning around to the two and revealing the fact that she was eavesdropping on the conversation. _

"We were simply talking aboutthose terrible similes that your boss has concocted for you and your brother," The Mind explained, leaving Serenity suspicious.

"R--i--ght," _Serenity replied dubiously, _"Do any of you know where I can find the 'Parasite'? I really need to talk to it." _Serenity looked at the beings expectantly, hoping for a stragiht answer. But alas, what could she expect from these two double-crossers._

__

"We don't know where that sponge is hiding," the Mind answered, "but we do know one thing..."

"And what's that?" _Serenity asked as she started to back away from the Mind, not trusting the way it was tantalizing her._

**__**

"We know that you're not going anywhere!" The conscience explained as a large thunder sound was heard, and golden manacles with chains attached to them started appearing on Serenity's wrists.

"What are these?" _Serenity asked angrily as she tried to release herself from the tight grip of the chains. "Where do these chains lead to, 'cause they're not coming off!" she said surprisingly as she tugged the chains, only to find that they were keeping her controlled somewhere in the smoke. _

"Why won't these come off of me!" _she asked as the chains wouldn't untie, and the manacles seemed to have a glue-tight grasp to them._ "These won't come off of me!"

The conscience smiled weakly at Serenity.

****

"That's exactly what I want them to do. You see, I haven't worked sixteen years just to have you be easily persuaded by some parasite that has over-stayed its welcome. I intend to keep you safe and limited in the world. That's the way it's always been, so why are you complaining now? I've always kept the same discipline with you, and-"

__

The conscience was cut off....Oooohhhhh, that wasn't such a bright idea to whoever did that....

//And it's become limiting to Serenity. She has to live with yor rules and your restrictions so much so that she's forgotten how to have fun. When I came along and showed her the pleasures that she could have, she finally got a sense of what she was missing, courtesy of you Conscience.//

"Yes! That's it!" _Serenity exclaimed as she raised her hands to her mouth, _"That must be the reason-"

__

"Why you're so easily brought under the parasite's control..." The Mind thought out loud angrily as she gave a strict glare at the Conscience.

****

"Well, the discipline I've used for sixteen years has been fine with me, and my vote counts more than the vote of that screwy parasite!" The Conscience explained as she squinted her eyes _and pointed a sharp finger at Serenity. _

__

Automatically, Serenity fell to the floor, feeling her legs weakening and breaking down. 

"Owwwwww! What's going on here? Why are you doing this to me?" _Serenity barely managed to ask as she forced herself to try and get up._

The Mind and conscience exchanged glances with little smiles playing on their lips. Yup, these two definitely could not be trusted now... 

Serenity sighed a depressed sigh when she had finally realized what was going on.

"Please stop," _Serenity asked as she looked up at the beings, "_Please stop doing this to me. If I'm your host, why do you always try to hurt me?"

"We're not trying to hurt you, Serenity. We're trying to keep you away from any dangers that you can get into. Unfortunately, that's not the goal of the parasite. Her 'fun' is the reason why you work at KaibaCorp, and why you claimed to have a drush on Seto Kaiba in front of your friend." The Mind gave Serenity a pitied look, "I'm so sorry we have to do thi---*sniff*sniff*Sister!" The mind called.

****

"What is it? You sense something?" The Conscience replied.

"Yes! *Sniff*Sniff*The parasite-it's getting closer!"

****

"Closer? Whar do you mean?"

"The parasite has gone into a section that she wasn't supposed to go into..."

****

"You don't mean---it's not possible! She couldn't have..."

"What's going on?" _Serenity asked as she nervously darted her eyes between The Mind and her conscience._ "Where did the 'parasite' go?"

__

The Mind Gave Serenity the "I Told You SO!" look, and simply replied:

"The one you claim to be helpful to you, has just gone into your Subconscience Heart....."

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*

Serenity immediately opened her eyes, and she intently studied the area around her. She was...on a bed? She felt the pillow underneath her head, and she felt the wooliness of the blanket by her feet.

"It was all just a dream," she told herself as she looked down at the nightstand by the lower bunk to read the time.

If the clock's time wasn't highlighted a bright neon green, Serenity would never have been able to depict the faded 7:23 p.m. sign.

Serenity easily fell back onto the pillow. Tommorrow, she'd apologize to Tea for all that she'd done to her, and she's thank her for providing for Serenity a place to sleep at night. Right now, she was tired and she was sure that Tea would still be pretty mad at her.

"Tomorrow's another day...." Serenity mumbled as she closed her eyes. Yes, tomorrow was another day, another chance to live life again, another chance to make-up for any wrongs committed.

Tomorrow...Hmmmm...You'll get to tomorrow, Serenity, but not before you spend the night at Tea's....

Sleep while you can, Serenity, for you have no idea what awaits you in your slumber......

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AN: I'm sooooooooo sorry if this chapter was extremely long and boring. *Begs readers for forgiveness*

Gomen Nasai!

Please forgive me, and please R/R....I promise the next chapter won't be nearly as long and boring, unless, you like LONG chapters....

And also, my spellcheck program wasn't working today so I had to write this whole chapter scanning for mistakes with my own two eyes, and that's extremely tiring work. So I'm sorry if there were too many spelling errors.

Preview:

"She's too young and innocent to get caught up in this mess. For her own safety, I hope she's not....."

Please R/R!

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Tootles,

$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*$*Celestial Night

** ** __


	11. Let's Play Ouija!

Chapter Eleven: Let's Play Ouija!

You reviewers are so sweet to review even when I have such a crappy chapter that's long and boring! LOL You guys rock! 

Sorry I couldn't thank all of you 'cause someone stares evilly at older sister deleted my reviewer thank-yous. Sorry! 

Oh, by the way, this will be the first chapter in which I'll be using Kisara's real name....

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There's a place inside of Serenity in which feelings and thoughts for people all around her are stored. A place covered in passion red fog where hundreds of thousands of feelings are stored on one big screen. An almost-holy place to the rest of her body, this sacred lair is a place not to be tampered with. Feelings in this realm must be kept intact, and never must they ever be altered with, for one press of the wrong button can cause Serenity's feelings towards one person to be completely reversed....

Kisara promenaded into this new space with curiosity evident on her face. This eager new spirit had to "check-out" the aspects of her new dwelling, and that meant she had to travel all throughout it...._Never really caring about whom or what was advising her not to go. _

//This is one of the ambits that the Subconscious Mind told me never to go into....Hmmmmm...I wonder why...// she said to herself as she surveyed the red smoke puffing around her. //There must be something here that the mind is guarding, something important.// She continued her walk deeper and deeper into this new region, awaiting for something to pop out--awaiting for anything to pop out for she knew that this was the place that Serenity amassed her thoughts and comments about everyone she had ever met....

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Sleep was not an easy thing to come by tonight in the Kaiba House. What could've been useful sleeping time was plundered away in thoughts concerning events of that day that just so happened to take place at KaibaCorp. Both Kaiba brothers, although worrying themselves about separate matters, seemed to be frittering away time in what they thought to be important issues. 

The elder Kaiba brother was lying on his bed; a storm of thoughts in his head were swiveling 'round-and-'round like a ongoing Merry-Go-Round. Have you ever been in a scenario in which sometime informs you of something, you neglect it at first thinking it's futile, but then, it's the one thought that your mind seems to focus on? Your eyes are ignoring sleep, and you just keep being reminded with every little thing that you do of that one little thought. 

__

It's sickening isn't it? Your thoughts are so confused and so disheveled...but isn't that the way you like to leave people inferior to you, Seto Kaiba? You like toying and tampering with others' minds for the fun of it. And now, observe how what you claimed to be called "fairytales" are now the sole concept in your mind. You just can't get rid of them. They're like those Kareebos that keep on multiplying and building themselves so that they're impossible to defeat You just can't get rid of them....... My how the tables have turned...

Seto Kaiba lay awake at this hour of the night. He really should've been sleeping 'cause we all know how he needs the sleep so that he doesn't get all cranky and tired in the morning and takes that crankiness and tiredness out on his little brother. His eyes were opened so strongly that it seemed like someone had taped them to remain in that position. His mind, like I mentioned earlier, was too busy caring not about an affiliation or his little brother or even his secretary, but of a special visitor that came to KaibaCorp that day. In simple terms: His mind was recalling a conversation that he had today with a certain woman...a certain _Egyptian_ woman, to be exact._...._

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"You know, Isis," Kaiba started to say as he turned his chair around so that the back of it faced Ishizu Ishtar, "I was starting to believe that you had some sort of sanity in you, but this....Let's just say that any belief I was starting to have towards you was ruined." 

"Believe what you want to believe, but Seto Kaiba," Isis said as she lowered her head and remained at her place in front of his desk, "Can you honestly tell me that you've never wondered of the significance of your monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon? Have you never asked yourself about why it is so loyal to you?"

"Isis, the Blue Eyes White Dragon is only loyal to me because I am the holder of that card. There's nothing more to it than that. God forbid if Yugi held the card, he'd probably be able to control it, too. And of it's significance to me," Kaiba said as he turned his chair around to meet Isis's face again, "I value it so much because I hold three of these four powerful and strong monsters. It has nothing at all to do with your folktales about Egypt and..._kaas." _

"If you sincerely believe that," Isis said with quivers in her voice, for even _she _felt intimidated by Kaiba's icy glare, "But answer me this: Why do you believe that _you_ of all the duelists in the world, hold most of the four dragons? Why have you been chosen?" Isis once again lowered her head, and she started backing up, expecting Kaiba to excuse her soon. 

Kaiba started recollecting his first duel with Yugi, and how Yugi had somehow drawn out all five pieces of Exodia. How unlikely was that? It was to the utmost limits of unlikelihood, yet Yugi was still able to do it. It was all just chance--that's what made the most logical sense, and that's what Kaiba believed. It was the same chance that won him his dragons. He wasn't _destined_ to hold them, but he had most of them, and that's what was important.

"I doubt that you holding the Blue Eyes White Dragon cards is all chance, Seto Kaiba," Isis interrupted Kaiba's thoughts. Kaiba's eyes went from looking studiously at Isis to popping up with extreme bafflement in them. Starting to stand-up slightly, his hands dug into his desk, and he gave Isis this threateningly passionate stare. 

"How did you-"

"Believe what you want to believe," she repeated one last time as she started backing away. "Oh, yes, Miss Wheeler will be in today, so I recommend you dismiss your substitute secretary. Mokuba, you may stop listening now: The conversation has ended." Isis made a full turn around, and she started heading towards the door. "Good day, Seto Kaiba." 

The office doors swung open with Mokuba laughing nervously as he let Isis pass through. Isis nodded steadily as she passed Mokuba, and she then left the office, for the time being, at least.

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(AN: Don't worry, there's more of this chapter to come in much, much, much later chapters!) 

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Like I mentioned earlier, **both** Kaiba brothers were having difficulty sleeping tonight. But what was the younger one, Mokuba Kaiba, possibly worried about? He wasn't the president of some multi-billion dollar corporation that had just lost a multi-million dollar affiliation. He didn't have difficulty dealing with an anger triangle among his conscience, his Subconscious Mind, and some sort of "parasite". He didn't get stabbed in the leg by a malicious CEO using her even more vile shoes. He didn't get a visit from Ishizu Ishtar telling him about the significance of his favorite monster....So why in Ra's name was he possibly worried?

Mokuba Kaiba lay awake on his bed while trying to keep from summoning thoughts about his brother's secretary who had a "conversation" with his brother today. He couldn't help but think about all that Serenity Wheeler had gone through, and that was only on account of what he saw happen in KaibaCorp that day. First, Serenity comes in late claiming that she had a "family-emergency" to tend to, and then she started talking about Kisara---------------------------------_Hold the phone.........._

Mokuba immediately opened his forcefully-shut eyes. Kisara? Serenity was talking about a girl named Kisara! Sure Mokuba had tried to ignore that fact at first, but it was true that Serenity was talking about Kisara!

"I can't believe I ignored it at first," Mokuba breathed to himself as he stared at his ceiling. He remembered how Isis had told his brother about the Kisara girl, and Mokuba was furious when he realized that Serenity could never be Seto's.....But Isis never _said that the reincarnation of Kisara had to be a girl with the description, name, or close profile of the white-haired, blue-eyed girl..._

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Wish all you want, and hope as much as your heart desires, but when reality bites, it bites hard. You want to believe in something, but all the while you know that the dreams you are building inside of you are nothing but sprinkles of false hope. 

But Mokuba, despite all the hope that was building up inside of him, had to think practically.

Mokuba shut his eyes tightly as he erased any further possibilities of Seto and Serenity finally getting together. His brother was not meant for Serenity, and Serenity would never be for his brother. They were kind of like opposites, but perhaps they were too opposite for each other. They probably had different names written in their destinies, so who was Mokuba to try and play matchmaker with them? It would be a futile effort, especially after Serenity got rid of Bolidaman-

"She got rid of Bolidaman heh heh...." Mokuba thought aloud as he couldn't help but giggle about the fact that Serenity hopefully permanently got rid of the high-voiced, pencil/weapon-heeled shoes wearing wicked wonder.

But remembering the topic here, Seto would never accept Serenity, especially after she got rid of Bolidaman. And unfortunately, Bolidaman would not be coming back because she made quite a (useless) revenge threat to Seto and an even lamer hatred announcement to Serenity. _But it's not like Serenity couldn't fight back with hate for Bolidaman._ Just the way Serenity had her eyes squinted when she pushed Bolidaman, and Bolidaman started freaking out when she got coffee on her Gucci dress and when she saw Serenity with the blue eyes-

__

Blue eyes? Yes...Mokuba remembered the rich, sapphire-tinted blue eyes that Bolidaman seemed to have gotten jealous of. _Those sapphire-tinted eyes.... "_Sapphire" was the very color Isis used to describe Kisara's eyes.

"Serenity was trying to get rid of Bolidaman 'cause she......was afraid that people would attack Bolidaman because Calista was like Serenity?" Mokuba seemed very confused as he thought about this to himself. How in anyway was Calista Bolidaman like Serenity Wheeler? _Don't forget, Mokuba, Serenity said a lot of peculiar things today......_

"And she was also talking about Kisara, and...and....and--Village people!"

Mokuba finally had the sense to put all the clues together. Wasn't Kisara from a village? Keep going, you're almost to the finish line. Just wait until you've found out the truth, for it's not what it first seems like. Serenity, Mokuba, is at the moment not herself at all; you could say that she's not in her right mind...literally.

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Just because two pieces fit, it doesn't mean that your idea of a puzzle will finally come together, but heed my warning: It is you that dreams of these chances, so when your heart breaks, it is you that must hold the blame.

Mokuba bit his lip and stared at the ceiling as he tried to figure a few things out. It was like a math equation: He had to figure out what could substitute as the variables and what would it all equal in the end. 

"Serenity had rich blue eyes, like the way Isis had described them. Serenity also tried to get rid of Bolidaman--heh heh Bolidaman....--Serenity tried to get rid of Bolidaman by warning her about people that would come for Calista because she was like Serenity......."

Mokuba's eyes went open like someone had just sent an electric shock throughout his system. If what he substituted fit into the variables, than what it all equaled was quite clear, but.....

"There is no freakin' way...."

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How boring it is when you are stuck at home, doing nothing but studying for your International History exam, while others you know are too busy fretting themselves over concerns. You wish that you could do something, but alas, you can do nothing but study for you have a very important test to give tomorrow.

At the moment, we find Téa Gardner glancing over a few pages in her history text for the test she has to give first class tomorrow morning is a test that will determine half of her history grade. The fact that this test can also determine which college you're smart enough to attend doesn't lift the pressure too much either. 

Téa took another sip of her coke, and then she looked again at the history page opened in front of her. At the moment, she was sitting in the narrow space between her couch and her wooden coffee table. A rather uncomfortable way to sit especially when you feel tired, and so stressed, and so mad that you will kill to go to bed. But Téa Gardner refused to go to bed.

First of all, this test that she was to give tomorrow morning was going to be probably 100 pages long, and would require an exhaustive amount of time to study for if Téa wanted to get into a decent college. But it's not like Téa cared for how well she did on this test: She had already gotten into a dancing university, and that's all that mattered to her. She just wanted to get a good score on this exam to prove to her parents that academics, not dancing, were her number one priority. 

But, we mustn't forget the _second_ reason as to why Téa refused to go to bed. If it wasn't bad enough that Téa was rigorously studying for an exam that she found futile just to please her parents, Téa had to deal with a little problem concerning her house guest. Little Miss Serenity Wheeler had to go and throw a temper tantrum, thus causing Téa to leave the room, forcing poor Téa to study in the living room, in the little space provided between the couch and the coffee table. 

Pride seems to turn into much value when dealing with someone who you're slightly angered with. Sometimes you stand up and defend yourself in order to keep your pride from being undamaged. Other times you stand quietly, taking any insults that one may throw at you knowing that anything you'd say could only hurt your pride even more. (If that even makes sense...) So what's the point in being angry? It gets you nowhere unless you wanna defend yourself, but who would honestly care ten years from now about a fight you were in? Who would remember? 

(AN: Live with me, it'll only be boring for about a few more scenes! :( )

Téa wobbled the pencil in her hand as she quietly thought about Serenity. Was it fair to be mad at her? Téa wasn't quite sure about that. Though Serenity told the truth when she exclaimed that she had a 'bad' day, (Yugi had told Téa about Serenity's dream and how Serenity escaped from Joey's car to get to KaibaCorp) was it fair of Serenity to take her anger out on innocent Téa Gardner? Probably not, but Téa was severely interested in the aspects of Serenity's day. Maybe it wasn't the best idea in the world to have unwillingly brought her to Téa's house, but Téa had a reason for doing so which she was willing to explain, but Serenity didn't wanna hear about it. 

"Serenity Wheeler," Téa started to say as she absentmindedly stared at the pencil in her hand, "What has gotten into you today?" no matter how hard Téa tried, Serenity and her words and what Yugi had told her kept coming back in flashes. Serenity's angered face yelling at her being one of the most vividly-remembered flashes. It didn't help Téa's curiosity or guilty conscience too much when Téa and Yugi had decided to bring Serenity to Téa's house without Serenity's honest opinion. But what could Téa have possibly done? Yugi had simply asked her to bring Serenity to a place of safety other than her own home, and that's what Téa did. Whether or not Serenity wanted to know why Téa had done so was not of Téa's concerns.

Téa had suddenly regained reality when she had realized that she wasn't fidgeting with something anymore. She felt absence in her hands, and when she looked at them, she saw nothing. Téa rolled her eyes as she ducked her head under the coffee table to search for that roaming pencil, wherever it was. Unfortunately, to Téa's luck, the ordinary, yellow No. 2 pencil happened to be one of those objects that when you drop it, it seems to slip into a certain narrow space. You, as usual, have no idea as how it got there, and all the while you're having trouble buttering that little object out of its hiding place.

When she finally noticed that there was no pencil under the coffee table, Téa decided to be practical, and she swerved her head carefully in order to see what contents were under the sofa. At first glance she couldn't have noticed the pencil lying in the far right-hand corner of the sofa, but she did notice the box in the very pits of the sofa's bottom blackness. 

Forgetting the pencil for a moment, Téa's interest got the best of her, and she reached her arm into the abyss of the sofa in order to get that box out. Whatever it was, why was it there, and why did it have faint glowing letters?

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Someone's still on a search for something.....The question is: Has she found it yet? 

//Ohhhhhh.......// Kisara criedas she finally came across the large computer-like silhouette in the room. And sure enough, when the roaming spirit finally got close enough to observe the computer, she realized that the red fog gave way to this massive, gigantic, HUGE! super-computer.

//Subconscious heart....so this must be the files of her subconscious feelings.....// Kisara looked happily at her discovery. To think that this large, pink metal computer with all of its shiny buttons and switches, was the core of what Serenity felt towards others. All these buttons--each one shinier than the last--could control exactly what Serenity did around others, because it all really depended on how she felt towards that one person. 

//This is going to be fun.// Kisara said as she glared happily at the computer, Ra only knowing what could've been contaminating her mind. Kisara edgily placed her hands on this big, shiny, buzzer-like button that was most likely the power controls of this super machine, which obviously turned off when Serenity was in a state of slumber. So the very nanosecond that Kisara's fingers touched that button:

"I don't know what in the name of hell you think you're doing, but I warn you to stop right now!!!"

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Remember that little box that Téa decided to retrieve? Well, at this moment, it sits upon Téa's coffee table while Téa stares at it with several questions going in her mind. No, these questions are irrelevant to the questions of WHAT this box is, but towards more of WHY IS THE BOX HERE? question mark. 

Téa stared angrily at the Ouija board box she had just recently pulled out of the sofa's bottom. The glowing lights were the glow-in-the-dark letters that were imprinted on the box.

"Cheap game," Téa snickered to herself, but she quickly regained the anger that was building up inside of her as she remembered her question....

First of all, she and Yugi had been playing with the ouija board the other night, in the very room Téa was sitting in. But you see, Téa thought that the ouija board never gave accurate answers since it kept spelling Y-U-G-I R-O-C-K-S with its oracle, but still:

"What is the game doing here?" Téa asked aloud, raising her voice a little. The thing is, after the two were done playing the game, Yugi offered to put away the game for Téa, and Téa had accepted graciously. But if under the sofa was Yugi's idea of where games should have been stored, than Yugi had another thing coming. 

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But was it almost fate that Téa had found the ouija board? Possibly, for a few moments had barely gone by before Téa Gardner had closed her history books, and started opening the game and laying out the board. In the mere time of two minutes, Téa had managed to shove her history books aside, open and layout the game, and she turned off the lights so that there would be a more ghostly effect. 

What are you up to, Téa Gardner? Contacting spirits again? Maybe this time they won't spell out flattering comments about Yugi....You were playing with someone else before, Téa, but beware: It's always just a bit scarier when you play with the ouija board alone.

Téa returned to her place between the couch and coffee table. Good thing the board was glow-in-the-dark, or else she'd never be able to see it. She had turned the dimmer off all the way, causing nothing but pitch black eeriness to slip into the small living room. 

With her oracle poised in the middle of the board, she thought about the first question she's asked. Would it be about how well she's do on her exam tomorrow? Maybe it would be on who she's end up marrying one day......It didn't matter, Téa, 'cause the board will answer truthfully if you are the only one playing but not the one pushing. 

Once in her head the question she'd ask, Téa finally pushed the oracle to all the different letters, and she spelled out the question:

"H-O-W M-A-N-Y S-P-I-R-I-T-S A-R-E I-N T-H-I-S H-O-U-S-E R-I-G-H-T N-O-W?"

Almost instantly, the oracle started shaking with a subtle shiver going through it. Téa let out a small yelp when and as she felt this, but she held it in 'cause she realized that if she believed in things like Yami, it should've been easy for Téa to understand that there were such things as spirits.

_And no, Téa was not moving the oracle......._

As the oracle guided Téa's hand, it made one simple stop, and there it rested, quietly, giving Téa the signal to move on and ask the next question.

"1 2 **_3_** 4 5 6 7 8 9 10" 

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The oracle had made the choice of three spirits in the house. But is that number even possible? There's one spirit for Téa, one for Serenity, but who is this other "spirit" inhabiting the Gardner household at the moment?

Téa looked skeptically at the board. She knew now exactly what her next questions would be. With quivering hands that were painted ghost white, she asked:

"P-L-E-A-S-E N-A-M-E T-H-E T-H-R-E-E S-P-I-R-T-S." 

The oracle, knowing the exact answer to this question took Téa on a swift ride with sharp turns and edges. If the oracle had lips, it would be smiling a devilish smile at this moment. 

"G-A-R-D-N-E-R, T-E-A," the oracle gave its first answer with no hesitance whatsoever. the oracle seemed confident that it was giving right information, no matter how much colder Téa's hands seemed to be getting.

"That's one," Téa mumbled as she gave the cue to the oracle to continue spelling out the answers.

"W-H-E-E-L-E-R, S-E-R-E-N-I-T-Y," the oracle had given it's second answer. That meant that the next name it gave had to be the one of the mysterious third spirit. 

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Ohhhhhh.....The game just got much more interesting now, didn't it? Watch and see what the third name will be, and if you'll believe it......

"But that's only two names," Téa mumbled as she complained to the oracle. "Spirit, where's the third name?" she asked, forgetting that the questions could only be asked by means of spelling out words.

But this time, spelling out words was not necessary, for there was a tricky little spirit playing this game of ouija, and she intended to let Téa Gardner know the truth, no matter what it took. So, ask what you want, Téa, for this spirit will answer your question, and she'll leave you baffled as she does so.

Observe:

The very split-second that Téa had finished enunciating the M sound in the word name, the oracle started shifting, determined to give this curious brunette the truth. Watch, Téa, as your answers come, but whether or not you choose to believe them is entirely up to you.

"K-I-SA-R-A." And that's where the oracle ended its answer. There was nothing before the K, nor was there anything after the final A. But all is for sure that Téa Gardner never felt the same about playing the ouija board ever again. But that's a tale for later days. At the moment, however, Téa Gardner had many (to say the least) questions going on throughout her mind. 

Why did the oracle mention Kisara? Was Kisara's spirit in this house? Was one of them--Téa gasped with horror in her eyes--the reincarnation of Kisara?

These questions were the basis of Téa's next questions:

With hands icy like Kaiba's eyes, and pale like Kisara's skin, Téa spelled out the first of her last two questions. Observe. You'll see what happens next:

"D-O-E-S K-I-S-A-R-A H-A-V-E A B-O-D-Y O-F H-E-R O-W-N?" 

Téa knew that this was either a Yes or No question. There was no way it could've been in between. So, if the oracle answered Yes, then Téa would have to go searching around her house for a girl by the name of Kisara that was hiding. If the oracle answered no, then Téa would have to ask the ultimate question, scaring the life out of her if she had to do so.

The oracle, with its inanimate evil look on, swiftly shifted its tip to the very bottom of the left-hand corner of the board. What it answered:

"NO."

Téa rubbed her eyes, then she rubbed them again, and then she rubbed them a few more times until, finally, she sucked in the fact that she had asked the oracle a question, it had answered no, so now, she had to ask the deciding factor in this twisted game of Guess Who The Reincarnation Is.

__

Suck it in, Téa. You knew deep inside that there was an interest of Serenity Wheeler towards Seto Kaiba, don't deny it! You heard Yugi tell you about how Kisara could be anybody....so don't expect the answer to be......Well, we'll see in a little while, won't we? Ask the question already! You know you want to. Listen to my cajoling voice: It's telling you to ask the question. Amuse your curiosity. You know you want to. You know that you've gone too far to stop right now, so I recommend hurrying up and ask the question....

Téa's curiosity and anxiety were rising like one as Téa started to admit defeat in asking the question. She knew she had to, for she wasn't pushing the oracle. So whatever mystical being was, Téa knew that it knew something more than it should've, and if it knew this much, what's from stopping it from knowing more?

With fingers curved in fear, and arms vibrating within wraps pf goosebumps, Téa placed her frozen fingers upon the oracle, and she boldly moved them to what Téa would later recall as the "Black Question".

__

Ready....

Téa moved her hands to the first letter....

Set....

A deciding factor...Was it finally time for Téa to learn Serenity's secret, and if she did, would she tell Joey?

Go.....

"W-H-A-T I-S T-H-E N-AM-E O-F T-H-E H-O-S-T T-H-A-T K-I-S-A-R-A I-S C-U-R-R-E-N-T-L-Y I-N?"

The oracle, much wiser than given credit for, knew of Téa's anxiety. It could feel her chills every time she touched it. But the oracle, although thought to made out of nothing more than glow-in-the-dark plastic, wanted to tell Téa. It wanted her to know about all the secrets and thoughts that Serenity had been having and was having in her slumber at this very moment. It expected Téa would be able to put all the clues together. It wanted the secret to be known, and if it went first through Téa, than so be it. 

Oh how poor Téa remembers every little detail of the second the oracle gave its answer. She wasn't quite sure of the weather outside, but she could feel the thunder cackling evilly. She could hear the wild wind's whistling.... _And if she remembers closely, the nearly silent sound in the background that was heard ever so softly was the sound of the Blue Eyes White Dragon's White Lightning attack, mentally striking and slashing some poor and innocent object._

As the story goes, the oracle answered a fifteen lettered answer, but Téa didn't let it finish its answer, for she was too much filled with fear too even believe what was going on. But she could not change the facts, and as they play out:

__

And no, Téa was not moving the oracle.......

_ "_W-H-E-E-L-E-R , S-E-R-E-N-I-T------"

SMACK! And the ouija board went flying off the table, falling gracefully onto its front side. Without even caring as to what, although she already knew, what the ouija was gonna answer, Téa slapped the game off its resting place, mentally cursing the board which she believed to be nothing more than balderdash. 

Staring at the game on the floor fiercely, Téa had every intention to burn the game at that very second. Of all the nonsense she had ever heard! This was some sort of excuse for the lamest excuse of a joke ever! Yes, that was it, the board was probably being controlled by Yami or Bakura or some other spirit that wanted to mess with Téa.

__

Believe want you wanna believe, Téa, for you know very well that neither Yami nor Bakura can leave anywhere without the assistance of their Millennium Items. You're only fooling yourself trying to shelter Serenity from the facts. You're almost acting like Joey.....But how long can you hide the dear from her true destiny now? 

Yes, now the facts have finally been revealed! Now, slowly, everything will start falling into play, and just you watch and see, pretty soon everybody will learn the truth. 

Still covered in the darkness of the room, Téa watched as the ouija board started to lose its glow as it slumped on the floor with its cardboard back all disheveled. 

Breathing heavily, Téa knew that there was one more matter left to attend to:

Serenity? Was she okay? Was she in anyway affected by this yet? Is this what Yami meant when he was talking about a spirit earlier? Was this why Serenity had a bad day?

Téa knew at that instant that she had to find Serenity. She had to be sure of Serenity's safety, and she knew that now, Serenity would have an _interesting_ next few days ahead of her.

__

Like a gazelles leaping charmingly into the plains of the desert, Téa Gardner quickly jumped, and she ran as if her life depended on it, to her room in which Serenity was currently sleeping in. 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Two brilliantly bright-blue eyes opened in the midst of a lair dripping with darkness. These eyes, these lightning-blue eyes---they seemed to have sensed something, but what? Did they know something? Whoever these pair of eyes belonged to, they had a certain mistrusting allure to them,_ '_causing whoever was to look into them to unwisely dive into them....

"Master," a raspy voice called from in front of the blue eyes, "Master, forgive me if I have disturbed you, but-" 

The blue eyes squinted with angered interest in them, and the raspy little voice started quivering with squeals.

"What is it?" the voice of the blue eyes called, "Why do you decide to bother me at such a late hour of the night, you vexation?"

"Master, have you not sensed it?"

"Sensed what?" The blue eyes asked, knowing very well that they had sensed something, but all the while hoping that what they sensed was nothing but a false alarm.

"Master, forgive me for what I am about to say may very well displease you: The spirit of the girl Kisara has been detected-"

"This is wonderful news, you fool! All my life, I have been waiting for a sign like this, and now, it has finally come! The spirit of the Millennium Rod has been activated! Well, what are you waiting for? Retrieve that Rod for me this instant: I MUST have it!"

"But master,"

"What is it? Why are you not going and obeying my commands? Do you have some sort of death wish?" The voice of the blue eyes seemed very displeased, and I feel sorry for the little raspy voice, for that was not a good sight to hear or see. 

"Master, forgive me, but the spirit has been detected inside a human girl, and the girl does not hold the Rod."

The blue eyes squinted evilly. Such an anger was never heard of to the little raspy voice. The way those blue eyes glistened with cruel thoughts and hatred, the little raspy voice couldn't help but feel shivers succumbing her body. 

__

Sharp blue eyes darted like an arrow at the voice....

"So, the spirit of Kisara has bonded with the girl?" the eyes snapped, scaring the hell out of the little raspy voice. 

"I-I am n-not sure of that y-yet," the little voice tried to respond, "We might still be able to get the spirit out of the girl."

"Then that's what we'll do." The eyes seemed to have regained a flicker of malicious visions. The eyes became amused with vicious hope. _They seemed too happy. _

"Master?" the voice asked with confusion trickling in every syllable she enunciated. 

"We will get the girl, and we will get that spirit from her, no matter what amount of **force **we must use." 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

For the first time in her life, Téa seemed to have finally realized why Joey was on a quest to protect Serenity. Téa had let go of all anger of hers towards Serenity, for Téa finally imagined the concept of Joey's love towards his little sister.

As Téa stood in the doorway of her room, she watched as Serenity slept peacefully like a flower woven in rest. She seemed so peaceful, and she seemed so undeserving of anything wrong. She seemed too sweet to be wrapped up in the stupid fate that that idiotic ouija board had predicted for her. 

"It's so unfair," Téa breathed as she stared at the slumbering girl, "because she has no idea of what she's getting into. If that dimwitted game was right--but no, it couldn't be. It was all just some sort of joke, right?--but even if it was, being the reincarnation of Kisara is not something ordinary written in just _anybody's_ destiny." Téa came closer to the young girl, who apparently seemed unaware of the one watching her in her sleep. 

Could she be the destined girl that Isis had enlightened them about? 

Téa started walking away from Serenity, dreadfully awaiting the morning, because she was torn between the paths of telling Serenity what she had found out..... 

Could she have been the very soul behind the Blue Eyes White Dragon? 

Could she be a player in this dangerous game of magic and power?

****

Could she have been this magical girl waiting 5,000 years to reclaim what she sacrificed all those millennia ago? 

Téa stared one more time at Serenity, and with a heavy sigh, she closed the door. Knowing that in the morning, she and Serenity would have to have an extremely crucial talk.

"She's too young and innocent to get caught up in this mess. For her own safety, I hope she's not....."

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I desperately hope that that chapter wasn't too long or boring! Please tell me what you thought of it!

Preview:

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"What the hell does she think she's doing?!" Téa asked with bewildered eyes as she read through the file that Serenity was trying so badly to hide.

P.S.: I managed to sneak in some thanks!

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Moonlite Goddess: Thanks for reviewing...not! It's okay though because I know that you only read this fic because you're my cousin, and I think that you really don't like this couple at all. So, you don't have to read this fic anymore, but don't forget about _My Fake Fiancée!_

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Kikoken: Gomen Nasai! I am soooooooo extremely sorry that the previous chapter was so excruciatingly boring! Hopefully, you didn't find this one to be that tiring. Smiles weakly You are such a sweet person for reviewing my losing-interest fic, even after my retarded chapter ten. Thanks again! 

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vendred13: I am unbelievably sorry for making you so confused during the last chapter. You were so nice to review anyway, 'cause my fic is becoming so lame. You rock! Anyway, hopefully you didn't find this chapter to be so stupid. Thanks again!

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neoelite: Once again, I beg you forgiveness for making the last chapter so boring, stupid, and LONG! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter somewhat more, because I did try to put some more action into it. Thanks for reviewing my lame chapter.

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pisces14071: I am terribly sorry if the last chapter was too long for your liking, really! You were so nice to review anyway, but I hope you liked this chapter better than the other one. And about the secrets, you'll have to wait for the next few chapters....But don't worry: Something'll happen between Seto and Serenity soon enough. Once again: Thanks for reviewing, and sorry for the lame previous chapter.

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Kaiba-Angel: Are you a new reviewer? If you are, I love your pen name makes jealous glare and I am extremely sorry if the last chapter bored you out of your mind like it most likely did to other readers. sighs And about Kisara, you know how every duel monster has a heart? Well, the Blue Eyes White Dragon has one, too. His heart is found in Kisara, a girl that priest Seth and Shadi saved in ancient Egypt. If you watched the duel of Seto and Isis, the Millennium Rod started to glow, and that was Kisara showing herself to Kaiba. (Kisara's the one Seth was holding in his arms) Thanks for reviewing, and sorry for the lame chapter!

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Cherry Arrow: I'm gonna beg you too for forgiveness because I know that my previous chapter was long and boring, despite any lies that you readers tell me otherwise. Thanks for reviewing anyway! I'm so glad that you like this story. 

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Sorceress Vanessa: I apologize if the last chapter bored you out of your mind. Thanks for the candy! And thanks for reviewing my lame previous chapter anyway. You're a very kind person to review a chapter that sucks horribly. I'm glad that you like this fic....

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Bo-Jay: Oooohhhh, you reviewed! Thank you, thank you! I know I sound like a desperate freak who loves reviews, but thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter which was totally lame. I am soooooooo sorry if it bored you to tears. And could you please update your fic soon? I really enjoy it. Pixi stix rock! 

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v son sayian: I am tremendously sorry if the last chapter bored you out of your mind! I'm glad you found out who Kisara is. You asked me so many questions, so now, let me ask you one: Do you like this strange situation where Serenity is the reincarnation of Kisara? Anyway, thanks a bundle for R/Ring my previous lame chapter, and as for your questions, lemme answer them in the order that you asked them: She will, you'll see later, you'll find out in the next three chapters, you'll find out in the next two chapters, you'll find out in the next two chapters, yes it will eventually, it already has, you'll see later, you'll see later, you'll see later, most of them already have, yes it will, and you'll find out later! 

Please tell me if you liked that chapter or not: R/R! 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Tootles,

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Celestial Night

People! I am soooooooo sorry. I don't know what's wrong with this chapter, but on my computer it appears that all the words are italicized and bolded! It's not supposed to be like that, and believe me, I've tried like five times to replace the chapter, but nothing's working!


	12. Plans Of Destiny

Chapter Twelve: Plans Of Destiny

OMG! I AM EXTREMELY, TERRIBLY, UNBELIEVABLY SORRY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAST CHAPTER TO MAKE IT LOOK SO BAD WITH THE ITALICIZED MARKS AND BOLDED LETTERS! REALLY, I BEG ALL OF YOU WHO READ THE LAST CHAPTER WITH ALL THE ENERGY I HAVE INSIDE OF ME TO FORGIVE ME 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAST CHAPTER, REALLY!!!

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Tinyflyer02: Thanks for reviewing! .

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Solo Flora: You actually like this fic? I mean, you seriously think it's a good fic? Ok....Well, thanks for reviewing! :)

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Sapphire Dragon: Are you serious? You really and truly think that this is the best SetoxSerenity fic on Fanfiction.net? Are you insane? I personally hate this fic because I think that there are 100 times better on this site, and they still don't come nowhere NEAR the best SetoxSerenity fics on this site. But, I appreciate the praise that you gave this fic! And yes, I do love your pen name! It's really pretty! And also, I wouldn't call it a "combination" of Serenity and Kisara: Think of it more as a umm....You know what? Maybe combination was a good word! Thanks for reviewing!

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pisces071: Hi, Pisces! Thanks for reviewing!

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v son sayian: _--Laughs out loud-- _OMG! Your review made it sound like a live in another country or something! I know that the virtual world episodes just ended here because I LIVE in America! I'm a Jersey girl, in fact! Anyway, thanks for reviewing! I'm glad that you think Seto isn't OOC in this fic. I can't believe people actually like this fic... Anyway, Ouija boards are great, you should try them!

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neoelite: I'm glad you liked that chapter! Thanks for reviewing, and I sincerely hope that this chapter was better than the previous ones.

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Sakura Kaiba: Hey Sakura! I haven't thanked you in like...forever. Thanks for reviewing, and Serenity really needs help at the moment. She has to deal with a mind and conscience that try screw her life up, and poor Kisara --thinks-- that she's helping Serenity out, but all the while, it's ruining her! Oh well...the plot thickens...

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Cherry Arrow: Thanks for reviewing, and OF COURSE I WANT THE KISARA AND SETH THING! Please, may I see it? I love that couple!

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Kaiba-Angel: Oh, the last chapter was long? Well, I hope it didn't bore you or anything. And your welcome for telling you about Kisara. She's an amazing character, if you ask me. Anyway, you liked the ouija board? I do too! It's like one of my favorite games! Thanks for reviewing! .

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MistressMoonDemon: You liked the last chapter? Thanks for reviewing! And btw, I love your fics--both of them actually! Update soon, please! :-P

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steel-angel-wing-weaver: Oh thanks for reviewing, and thanks for putting me on favorites!!!

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BuzzBuzzBuzz

It was a subtle ring, but it was still loud enough to wake the slumbering Serenity Wheeler up.

"Groan," Serenity scowled as she looked below at the buzzing alarm clock. At first, she almost screamed when she saw the floor so below her, but when she remembered that she had unwillingly slept the night at Téa's house, her scowl deepened.

6:01 a.m.

Serenity fell back on her side when she glanced at the clock. She'd have to be in work soon to hand in those papers......

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"Good morning, Domino-" The TV was news reporter was cut short by the sound of Téa flipping the channel.

While flipping channels, Téa looked at the looked at the window that was behind the couch. judging by the early morning lights and the nervous expression upon Téa's face, it was time to wake up Serenity for the little talk that Téa had promised herself she would give.

Téa sighed as she returned to her channel flipping. She finally stopped at the Weather Channel which predicted bright _blue_ skies for the day. As she stole a glance at the television clock, her sigh just got deeper and heavier.

Téa watched the television clock go from 5:59 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

"Sigh Another hour....another day," Téa breathed as she focused herself on getting off of the couch she was so lazily slumped on.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Joey Wheeler's stomps were heard coming frantically down the stairs. It very much resembled an earthquake cracking the earth's surface, but, alas, this was Joey at his _medium _anger level when he was piqued.

So when Joey the bull finally came down the steps that he was crushing with his infuriated force, he scanned the living room area around him. His eyes locked down on the little red sleeping bag that was huddled up into the shape of a body bag. The poor, little sleeping bag that was innocently sleeping on the living room floor.

"OK! WAKE UP!!!" Joey hollered to the Yugi that was sleeping on his living room floor. "I WANNA KNOW WHY YA TOOK MA SISTA TO TEA'S HOUSE, RIGHT NOW!" Joey kicked the defenseless little cocoon that was Yugi succumbed in his sleeping bag.

"Go away," The little cocoon mumbled as he scrunched himself up some more, "I'm trying to sleep here." The little sleeping bag tried to avoid Joey's question as he huddled his engulfed body together. Must Joey always ruin Yugi's pleasures with his ice cream? You see, at the moment, Yugi was dreaming about that luscious, creamy, chocolaty ice cream cone that Joey meanly threw away the previous day.

"NO! I WANT DETAILS, AN' I WAN' 'EM NOW!" And Joey fiercely kicked the little cocoon.

"Why are you so mean to me?" The innocent little cocoon mumbled more than asked. "I told you that I would tell you in the morning about Serenity, and then you made me sleep here because you thought I'd chicken out and never get the chance to tell you....And now you kick me during the night?" The little sleeping bag let out a small "Hmmph!" before it rolled up once more.

"OH?! YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ME ANGRY YET YUGI AN' YOU DON'T WANNA SO I RECOMMEND THAT YOU START TALKIN'!" And with that statement cleared, Joey took out one of those mega-powered, super bright, lord knows how much voltage flashlight.

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And do you want to know what he did with that flashlight?

Guess.....

Poor Yugi......

Little Yugi squealed when he felt the flashlight's power burn through his eyelids into his poor, little, unsuspecting eyes.

"Quit it!" Yugi whined as he tried to cover his face with his sleeping bag. But that obviously didn't work since Joey kept poking the flashlight meanly into Yugi's sleeping bag so that Yugi **could not** avoid the light.

"He heh heh... I'll quit it when you tell me exactly why ya took ma sista to Téa's house," Joey explained as he dug his flashlight-holding hand into Yugi's unsafe haven of a sleeping bag.

"You know what, Joey..." Yugi murmured as his little voice breeched Joey's reign of continuous evil/sheer fun laughter.

"What?" Joey asked as he couldn't depict quite clearly what Yugi had just whispered amidst all his laughter.

"You think that you're not mean, but here you are taunting lil' ol' me with that stupid light of yours, and that's the anger.........That's the anger........ _That's the anger that didn't leave me with the safe thought that Serenity would be fine with you....alone."_

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.:..:.I won't tell you what I'm thinking  
Cuz it's not the same thing you're thinking too  
You could say I got a best friend  
And she's always telling me what to do  
  
She's out of sight, easy to find  
She's in the front of my mind.:..:.

You probably have felt that boiling anger aroused by something so powerful or vicious or.....

Whatever....You've felt that anger right? That anger aroused by something unfair, at least in your eyes. You most likely have felt that surging indignation.....

And today, Serenity is taking out that raging, righteous anger on her teeth as she brushes them this morning...

Poor teeth...She was practically grinding them with her toothbrush that was already electrical, so Serenity actually enhanced its force when she scrubbed with all her might...

Oh.....There was much more than just scrubbing teeth going on in Téa's hallway bathroom this morning....

Serenity, smelling fresh with scents of wild berries from just taking her morning shower, glanced over at the extra clothes that Téa had given her.

Somehow, the thoughts of Téa kidnapping her made her trigger the thoughts that had consumed most of her night's sleep.

$$$$$$$$$$Flashback$$$$$$$$$$

"Honestly, I couldn't care less whether or not you got that file," That oh so familiar voice replied to Serenity's squeaks.

"But....Mr.---Mr. Kaiba, you said that file was very important." Serenity couldn't help but lower her neck and mumble more than speak as she answered him.

Seto Kaiba faced the window, so his back was away from Serenity. And that really scared Serenity half to death because she was literally talking to the back of a massive leather executive chair with a voice so eerie that it could freeze your blood in an instant.

"Wheeler, come closer, I have a more important vital topic to discuss with you," he ordered with his chair still shunning Serenity.

"Of--of course," she managed to speak as she let go of the door knob that she was clutching to and started to move a teeny-tiny bit closer to his desk.

$$$$$$$$$$End Flashback$$$$$$$$$$

A transparent vision of a girl with flowing white hair and the most flamboyant blue eyes that any human can imagine appeared sitting on the bathroom sink, watching Serenity.

Serenity, what is bothering you? Cheer up, you're not one to frown: It doesn't look good on you.

Of course, to Serenity, this vision was never there. She neither heard nor saw it...

"Serenity, are you done in there? Breakfast is ready," Téa explained as she knocked on the bathroom door.

"No Téa! Gimmee ten more minutes!" Serenity answered back as she stared again at the clothes Téa had given her. "I need the time to think some things out," she whispered to herself as she blankly watched the extra clothes.

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_Earlier that day....._

Seto Kaiba **was **having a rather restless night, but he managed to see himself through. (He really never got a full night's sleep, so there was no way that he was going to let a little talk with Isis get in his way:)

So when the alarm clock buzzed at 4:55 a.m., Kaiba was already awake because his internal clock never really let him full sleep past 4:50. So as he opened his chillingly icy blue eyes, he expected to find an empty pillow in front of his face because he usually slept in a way so that he always woke up to the sight of the bed's empty side. **But today was different....**

Today, he did not find that always-empty pillow empty. Today, the pillow had an inhabitant.

The first sight that Seto Kaiba saw as he opened those threatening orbs that he called eyes, was a massive, deep crimson-colored beetle. At least eight inches long, this _thing_ had antennae that were like extra pincers that complemented the mini scissors on its mouth. It was completely colored in red, and the only part of its menacing body was the pair of eyes that were a rich black shade that went deep into a strange darkness.

Now, Kaiba wasn't scared. I mean, it was just a huge and evil-looking beetle, right? He truly wasn't scared, but he was definitely startled when he saw such a creature just laying happily on his pillow, almost staring at him.

Not caring about making any sudden movements to scare this little pincer, Kaiba raised himself, and, at the speed of light, picked up the pillow. To say he _ran_ to the window would be the understatement of the century. But to say that he shot to the window and opened his balcony door comes somewhere close to how fast he actually ran.

"Get the hell off!" He ordered the little beetle as he vehemently shook the pillow until he clearly saw the tiny beetle fly off the pillow. Kaiba was an extremely hygienic person, and he would not stand for a dirty little microbe infect his spotless bed. That thing had probably a trillion waiting-to-contaminate germs just lingering all about it.

"That thing's not common in Japan. Probably came on the plane with Marik and Isis. Heh...Isis...." He laughed as he carried his pillow tediously to the hamper.

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Meanwhile.......

Téa had just entered her room when she realized something:

_Serenity left her file on the bed unwatched._

Téa wasn't purposely looking for that file. All she was doing was staring at the bed that Serenity slept on to make sure the sheets and covers were still intact and didn't need setting, but....

It only took one simple glance to see the little golden file just calling out, "Téa! Come and read me! Read me! Read me! Read me!....."

Téa rolled her eyes as she took her stare off of the top bunk. She was a good friend to Serenity, and there was no chance in hell that she was going to betray that trust by looking at that file that Serenity had apparently forbid Téa to see.

So, Téa's not gonna look at that file, right? First of all, she's way too high-scrupled. Another thing, she only came into the room to get a hairbrush to set her hair for the morning.

"Now, to find that comb," Téa muttered to herself as she stared across the contents of her dresser top that varied from gel to silky shimmer pink lip gloss.

__

But still, Téa had that file stored in the back of her mind. Her curiosity wanted to look at it, but she was a good friend to Serenity, and she intended to keep that friendly trust intact.

"I'm not going to look at that file, and that's THAT!" Téa said to herself as she smiled because she had just spotted that hairbrush on the corner of her dresser top.

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"Hey," Serenity wondered out loud as she ran a comb through her sweet, berry-scented hair, "I left that file in my room, and what happens if--nah....." Serenity had a lot of trust within Téa, despite how much Téa and Yugi angered her when they kidnapped her and brought her here. "Téa wouldn't look at my file, especially after I yelled at her last night to leave me and the file alone."

So, Serenity happily started coming her hair again. She was as content as she could be with someone who has problems with organizing their mind(s) and was brought unwillingly to a "friend's" house. Until, of course, a little and sly thought slithered itself into the darkest corner of Serenity's mind.

"Oh my gosh!" Serenity wondered out loud again. Serenity had just realized that in any human's nature, when you explicitly forbid someone to do something, they do it anyway.

"No......Téa's not that kind of person. Téa's not that kind of person. **Téa's not that kind of person....."**

Sure, Serenity. Keep on telling that to yourself. Just keep combing your hair, and let your mind relax without a suspicion. I mean, Téa is one of your brother's best friends, right? Exactly! That's why I recommend you halt any progressing doubts in your mind(s) because Téa's not that kind of person.

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"What the hell does she think she's doing?!" Téa asked with bewildered eyes as she read through the file that Serenity was trying so badly to hide. Well, she really wasn't _trying_ to hide it, but she obviously anted Téa nor anyone else near it, nevertheless read it.

But that's not the point. The point is that Miss Téa Gardner didn't do so well when she looked and/or picked up that file to begin with... (But, who really cares about the ethical point? What we all want to know is why and to what did Téa react so wildly to. Heh...Let's find out...)

"This could ruin a lot of things." Téa scowled as her eyes scanned thoroughly through the contents of the file. _'Well, it might not really ruin a lot of things. I mean, with what you found out last night, this could be the better thing to do......'_

Téa felt confused for a moment. She shouldn't have read the file, first of all. But now that she did, it was like she had no other job but to presume the pros and cons about what Serenity would guarantee herself if she decided to go through with what this file said that she was going to go through.

Téa was just about to consider asking Serenity what was it doing and why this file was in her possession, but, then, she heard the little click of the bathroom door opening. Thank Ra for that stupid old creaky door that moaned whenever somebody opened it, for if it wasn't for that door, Téa would've been caught in an extremely ill-fated situation. _Serenity was coming out of the bathroom, and either out of sheer luck she's go to the kitchen for some breakfast, or she'd curse Téa's day and find her standing with that forbidden file in her hands. _

"Dammit," Téa hissed as she fleetingly pushed the file, to the best of her memory, to where she first saw it when she first entered the room.

"Thank Ra," Téa breathed as she put a relaxed hand over her chest and sighed a sigh or relief.

But you know very well that victory and/or relief lasts scarcely very long in this fic....

Téa was still relaxing her breathing rate when she heard her bedroom door open behind her.

"Hey Téa? ¾Téa, what are you doing?" Serenity asked in disbelief as she came inside only to find Téa mumbling "Thank you," and putting her hand over her chest while pacing her breathing.

"Serenity, I was simply looking for my hairbrush, and I thought I saw a mouse for a second, but it was a false alarm. And I get really scared of mice, so naturally I'd freak out and breath uncontrollably when I see or ever saw one," Téa quickly obliterated a sweatdrop and lied as she turned around to greet Serenity, who obviously didn't look too happy.

"Ok....Umm, Téa?" Someone was a little doubtful about Téa's behavior. (But she'd ignore it for now, anyway.)

"Yeah?"

"Can I have the matching sweater to this skirt?" Serenity asked as she frowned upon looking at her outfit. Téa personally thought that Serenity looked fine. She was wearing a cute, baby pink skirt with a white pantyhose and spotless Mary Jane shoes. Téa thought that the outfit flowed together perfectly, but obviously, Serenity found the blouse that she had borrowed a little too tight. (Téa did have a rather slim upper body compared to Serenity, so Serenity felt a bit self-conscious whenever she felt the low neck of the blouse and the extremely tight waist.)

"Why? I think you look fine."

"That's nice, but I'd really prefer the sweater to this skirt, please."

Téa rolled her eyes at Serenity's awkward-thinking mind. "Fine," she sighed as she shifted her body to head towards her closet.

"Thank you." Serenity immediately turned towards her bed when she saw Téa fully turn her back to head for the closet. She didn't wanna seem rude and show Téa that she mistrusted her, but she just **had to **make sure....

Serenity quickly wanted to make sure that her file was still perfectly unharmed, so she hastily turned her head to the bunk that she had slept on the previous night.....And...... Well, to put it lightly, her jaw practically fell to the floor.

"Hey, Téa?" Serenity asked with a voice that slightly quavered.

"Yeah?" Téa replied as she grabbed the hanger at the back of her closet that held the matching, baby pink sweater.

"Did you by any chance look at the file that I was filling out last night?"

__

Téa's eyes widened. "Why Serenity, what....what....makesyouthinkthat?" She asked all too quickly as her once stunning sapphire eyes became tiny little nervous dots. Not caring about the sweater, Téa almost instantly turned around to see Serenity glowering at the file on her bed that had the paper that was supposed to be _inside_ of the file resting on the top and _outside _of the file cover. Obviously, Téa had forgotten one minor detail about looking at the file: When you look at the inside of a file that was clearly prohibited to you, always remember to put the inside of the file, as in the contents of the file, back into the file cover.

"It's just a hunch," Serenity snapped angrily as she stared daggers at the opened file, lying there so that the whole world could've read it.

And just when Téa thought that her breathing was as normal as it could get, she felt her heart beating impulsively, and she felt her mouth grow aridly dry.

__

And what Serenity and Téa didn't realize was that there was a devilishly red, BIG beetle watching them with its two deep, black eyes. It was huge, but since it was pasting itself to a cobweb-filled corner of her room, the low light barely gave it a chance to be seen. But when you looked carefully as a glimmer of sunshine hit its antennae-crowned head, it almost seemed as if the little creature was smirking.....

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Yes, that little beetle is important later in the story.

R/R if you liked that chapter!

Preview:

**"You're questioning _me_? I really think you have no authority to do that when it's me that has the more important questions to ask....."**

Review please! Thanks for your time in reading this chapter!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Tootles,

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Celestial Night

P.S.: If "Tootles" is getting annoying, tell me because then I'll stop saying it!


	13. Revealed

**I'm not gonna lie to all of you. I didn't make any revisions to this fic. Why? It's because I took the coward's way out. I was originally planning to make tons of revisions, but I realized later that what I needed was to revise myself. It's just that all of you wonderful Seto/Serenity authors (Kikoken, Seren147, Setine, Jieli, etc. There are too many to name!) were progressing so well and making such good fics, and I could never do that. I took so long in updating because I needed to find a way to fix myself. All the time I wanted to sit in front of this screen and some more, but I never could. I'm sorry that I can't provide you with a better fic; I'm sorry I couldn't have been a better author.**

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Remember, we left off in Téa's room. Serenity had just realized that Téa had been snooping around in that oh-so-mysterious file of hers, and--O, wtf! I'll just give you the last scene!

"_What the hell does she think she's doing?!" _Téa asked with bewildered eyes as she read through the file that Serenity was trying so badly to hide. Well, she really wasn't _trying_ to hide it, but she obviously wanted Téa or anyone else near it, nevertheless read it.

But that's not the point. The point is that Miss Téa Gardner didn't do so well when she looked and/or picked up that file to begin with... (But, who really cares about the ethical point? What we all want to know is why and to what did Téa react so wildly to. Heh...Let's find out...)

"This could ruin a lot of things." Téa scowled as her eyes scanned thoroughly through the contents of the file. _'Well, it might not really ruin a lot of things. I mean, with what you found out last night, this could be the better thing to do......'_

Téa felt confused for a moment. She shouldn't have read the file, first of all. But now that she did, it was like she had no other job but to presume the pros and cons about what Serenity would guarantee herself if she decided to go through with what this file said that she was going to go through.

Téa was just about to consider asking Serenity what was it doing and why this file was in her possession, but, then, she heard the little click of the bathroom door opening. Thank Ra for that stupid old creaky door that moaned whenever somebody opened it, for if it wasn't for that door, Téa would've been caught in an extremely ill-fated situation. _Serenity was coming out of the bathroom, and either out of sheer luck she's go to the kitchen for some breakfast, or she'd curse Téa's day and find her standing with that forbidden file in her hands. _

"Dammit," Téa hissed as she fleetingly pushed the file, to the best of her memory, to where she first saw it when she first entered the room.

"Thank Ra," Téa breathed as she put a relaxed hand over her chest and sighed a sigh or relief.

But you know very well that victory and/or relief lasts scarcely very long in this fic....

Téa was still relaxing her breathing rate when she heard her bedroom door open behind her.

"Hey Téa? ¾Téa, what are you doing?" Serenity asked in disbelief as she came inside only to find Téa mumbling "Thank you," and putting her hand over her chest while pacing her breathing.

"Serenity, I was simply looking for my hairbrush, and I thought I saw a mouse for a second, but it was a false alarm. And I get really scared of mice, so naturally I'd freak out and breath uncontrollably when I see or ever saw one," Téa quickly obliterated a sweatdrop and lied as she turned around to greet Serenity, who obviously didn't look too happy.

"Ok....Umm, Téa?" Someone was a little doubtful about Téa's behavior. (But she'd ignore it for now, anyway.)

"Yeah?"

"Can I have the matching sweater to this skirt?" Serenity asked as she frowned upon looking at her outfit. Téa personally thought that Serenity looked fine. She was wearing a cute, baby pink skirt with a white pantyhose and spotless Mary Jane shoes. Téa thought that the outfit flowed together perfectly, but obviously, Serenity found the blouse that she had borrowed a little too tight. (Téa did have a rather slim upper body compared to Serenity, so Serenity felt a bit self-conscious whenever she felt the low neck of the blouse and the extremely tight waist.)

"Why? I think you look fine."

"That's nice, but I'd really prefer the sweater to this skirt, please."

Téa rolled her eyes at Serenity's awkward-thinking mind. "Fine," she sighed as she shifted her body to head towards her closet.

"Thank you." Serenity immediately turned towards her bed when she saw Téa fully turn her back to head for the closet. She didn't wanna seem rude and show Téa that she mistrusted her, but she just **had to **make sure....

Serenity quickly wanted to make sure that her file was still perfectly unharmed, so she hastily turned her head to the bunk that she had slept on the previous night.....And...... Well, to put it lightly, her jaw practically fell to the floor.

"Hey, Téa?" Serenity asked with a voice that slightly quavered.

"Yeah?" Téa replied as she grabbed the hanger at the back of her closet that held the matching, baby pink sweater.

"Did you by any chance look at the file that I was filling out last night?"

_Téa's eyes widened. _"Why Serenity, what....what....makesyouthinkthat?" She asked all too quickly as her once stunning sapphire eyes became tiny little nervous dots. Not caring about the sweater, Téa almost instantly turned around to see Serenity glowering at the file on her bed that had the paper that was supposed to be _inside_ of the file resting on the top and _outside _of the file cover. Obviously, Téa had forgotten one minor detail about looking at the file: When you look at the inside of a file that was clearly prohibited to you, always remember to put the inside of the file, as in the contents of the file, back into the file cover.

"It's just a hunch," Serenity snapped angrily as she stared daggers at the opened file, lying there so that the whole world could've read it.

And just when Téa thought that her breathing was as normal as it could get, she felt her heart beating impulsively, and she felt her mouth grow aridly dry.

_And what Serenity and Téa didn't realize was that there was a devilishly red, BIG beetle watching them with its two deep, black eyes. It was huge, but since it was pasting itself to a cobweb-filled corner of her room, the low light barely gave it a chance to be seen. But when you looked carefully as a glimmer of sunshine hit its antennae-crowned head, it almost seemed as if the little creature was smirking....._

Serenity felt like crying. Whom she thought was her one of her best friends had totally betrayed her.

"Now, Serenity..." Téa started nervously, "listen, about what's in that file--"

"Whatever was in that file was out of limits to you..."

"...And I'm sorry...but what you're doing isn't right...."

"Really? Well, the last I checked you didn't have a say in this."

Téa had tears forming in her eyes. Serenity had just spoken to her in the most bitter voice she had ever heard. It was worse than the deep guffaw of Maximillion Pegasus, and more spine-tingling than the evil whispers of Marik. _It was her best friend talking to her as if she were the lowest thing alive._

"Why did you look in that file?" Téa looked up to see Serenity's face streaked with red. Obviously, a few tears had escaped from her eyes. "You had _no_ authority under me to look in that-"

"**You're questioning _me_? I really think you have no authority to do that when it's me that has the more important questions to ask....."**

Serenity's mouth curved into a small smile. Her hazel eyes burned into Téa's conscience, and Téa's defiant glare was slapped off her face.

'_Ask her about Kisara!' _Téa's mind flashed, but Téa just didn't have the courage to look at Serenity that moment.

Serenity, still smiling, walked over to the bunk bed, reached to the very top of it, and she grabbed the file and the file cover.

"_Serenity?" _Téa asked, the silence ringing boldly in her ears.

"As of now, Téa, I really don't care what you have to say to me." Serenity quickly made for the door, but Téa had a few more words to speak to her.

"You're crazy if you're actually gonna go through with this!"

Serenity, touching the doorknob of her room, had a slight revelation that very moment. But was she, during this second of stubbornness going to listen....Take a wild guess.

"I thought that if you ever found out what was in this file, you'd be happy..."

"Why would I ever think that?!"

"Because, you're one of Joey's best friends." With that said, she opened the door, and quickly raced down the stairs into the family room.

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Her shoes pressing down into the shag carpet, Serenity grabbed her purse off of the coffee table.

She was about to go for the front door, until she felt her shoes step on something other than the soft carpet, something...plastic...

"What's this?" Serenity asked as kneeled down and the picked up the oracle from the ouija board off the floor. In mere seconds, her eyes had found the ouija board lying a few measly feet away.

"I'm not driving you to work," Téa's voice said from somewhere behind Serenity.

Her back towards Téa, Serenity stood up from her kneeling position. "I have money; I'll take the bus."

"Serenity, please..."

But Serenity had no time to listen. She brushed past Téa's shoulders and walked to the front door. Without so much as a single look back at the brunette, Serenity opened the door despite Téa's warnings not to, and she valiantly walked outside...

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"Can't we pass into the next lane?"

The traffic in this limo's lane had no movement. However, the traffic in the next lane was continuing on at a perfect pace. So why couldn't the limo simply move into the adjacent lane of movement?

The limo driver smirked. He knew that this was the one field in which he could toy with Seto Kaiba. Ever since puberty, Seto Kaiba had acquired the money to have a flowing supply of drivers his whole life. Therefore, taking driving lessons and learning how to drive were things Kaiba never had to do, or so the driver thought...

"Sir, excuse me, but I have told you that the white lines prohibit us from passing into the next lane," The driver explained incredulously.

"Are you blind?" Kaiba snapped at the driver. Kaiba had asked this question several times for he knew exactly what the _single _white line indicated, and that foolish driver was trying to toy with him.

Not a good thing on the driver's part.

Now this tone that Kaiba used was the first time that Kaiba ever used it directly to address his driver. Sure, there was that incident a few days ago where Kaiba and Serenity couldn't get to their meeting because of the traffic, but this time it felt so much more intimidating when it was he and he alone with the human dragon.

"...Sir..." The driver started fearfully, not daring to look back.

"You idiot! There's a _single _not _double_ white line there, meaning that we can pass into the next lane. Possibly you're foolish enough not to know your rules as thoroughly as you should, or possibly, you're foolish enough to lie to me...either way, expect your last paycheck at the end of today."

Kaiba said it simply. This was practically something he did on a daily basis.

The driver, thankful that he was even gonna get a paycheck, wouldn't risk saying a single word in return. Hopeful that the traffic was gonna clear up and that Kaiba was gonna get into a better mood, he kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel and pretended like nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Kaiba pressed a button and a black window separated the dragon from the one who was foolish enough to tempt him.

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Kaiba sat quietly for the next half hour, not really paying attention to anything. He should have been in work nearly two and a half hours ago, but this freakin' traffic prohibited him from doing anything.

His secretary should have been arriving to work soon. Hopefully

And when she came, he had to speak with her.

The conversation that they had to have was more important than any duel he ever had to fight.

This conversation could determine the profit that KaibaCorp could make.

And to think, it all rested on the shoulders of a seventeen year old girl...

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Calista Bolidaman drank her coffee with thoughts drowning her.

Last night she had received the news that the spirit of Kisara had bonded with another girl...

"_**Master, have you not sensed it?"**_

"_**Sensed what?" The blue eyes asked, knowing very well that they had sensed something, but all the while hoping that what they sensed was nothing but a false alarm.**_

Now, this meant that the girl would have to be ...cut out of the picture... for the spirit to be given to her.

"But who is it?!" Calista exclaimed as she banged her free hand on the table, causing the sugar bowl and other various utensils to rattle.

"Calista," Calista looked up to see her mother staring at her with confusion.

"Excuse me, mother..." Calista mumbled as she started to stand up.

"_**So, the spirit of Kisara has bonded with the girl?" the eyes snapped, scaring the hell out of the little raspy voice.**_

"_**I-I am n-not sure of that y-yet," the little voice tried to respond, "We might still be able to get the spirit out of the girl."**_

"_**Then that's what we'll do." The eyes seemed to have regained a flicker of malicious visions. The eyes became amused with vicious hope. They seemed too happy.**_

"_**Master?" the voice asked with confusion trickling in every syllable she enunciated.**_

Calista walked around the hallways of her house, her coffee cup trembling in her hands.

"I should be Kisara! I have the vivid blue eyes and everything!"

_Wait, vivid blue eyes...that reminded her of something...._

She remembered how just the other day, Serenity appeared to have these most unbelievable blue eyes that she had ever seen.

Calista thought about it for a second. Those blue eyes. Those eyes. The very color the prophecy had described about Kisara. Those eyes, that snowy hair, that pale, pale complexion that got Kisara abused so badly. Calista had vivid blue eyes, but not quite the hue that Serenity had that day. Calsita had pale skin, and her hair was so lightly-colored blonde that it might as well have looked white. "Nah...that twit knows nothing about the Egyptian background of Duel Monster---oh no..."

Serenity was the sister of the duelist Joey Wheeler.

Joey Wheeler was the best friend of Yugi Mouto, the duelist who constantly had the puzzle around his neck.

And Calista knew all too well what that puzzle signified.

And don't forget, Calista, what Serenity was warning you about....

"**_You-you must go! They'll hurt you as well, you're like me!"_**

Calista dropped her coffee mug to the floor. Her eyes were wide and stared fearfully into space. She could feel splashes of the hot java on her feet, but she was too numb to care.

"_**We will get the girl, and we will get that spirit from her, no matter what amount of force we must use."**_

Calista had a twisted smile form on her face.

"If Serenity Wheeler _is _the reincarnation, then it'll be all the more fun to eliminate her..."

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Kaiba was bored out of his mind.

Waiting.

It was killing him.

He was a man who needed to be occupied all the time.

And that's when he heard it. While tapping his fingers on the various buttons of his armrest, he heard it, almost taunting him.

At first it was a small, steady buzzing. But slowly, it was getting louder and louder.

Kaiba looked in the direction of this ringing pitr-patr, and was slightly surprised by what he saw.

It was that same, hideously red, huge, black-eyed beetle sitting happily on his windowsill.

How that bug got into the limo was a question for another chapter.

"Back for round two?" Kaiba asked, slowly pressing a button that opened up the window. He had no at the moment to fight with this nasty little vermin. "I'm gonna tell Isis to keep her filthy little lice to herself!"

The bug stared for a split-second directly at Seto Kaiba, but before he knew it, the bug flew out of the window into the next lane. And when the bug flew into the next lane, he landed right onto the window of the closest vehicle, which happened to be a bus.

_You can only imagine how surprised Serenity Wheeler was when she saw this insect sticking to the window she was looking through._

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_**Sorry about the spelling mistakes! My spell-check system died a while ago.**_

_**So, should this fic continue being dormant? Or should I continue updating?**_

_**R/R! Thanks for your time in reading this fic.**_

_**-----Tootles,**_

_**----------Celestial Night**_


	14. The Raillery of Serenity Wheeler

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Oh, I am so sorry about the long wait. I promise this chapter is much better than the last. It's just that in the past year I've been obsessing over Harry/Luna of Harry Potter and Kendall/Zach from "All My Children". But ever since the whole Harry/Ginny fiasco and the spoilers that Kendall will soon divorce Zach before the even get a start on their romance, I decided to go back to my true OTP.

And good news: I've been planning a brand new Seto/Serenity fic. Yes, I know I plan a lot and never actually write these fics, but this one I'm sure about. I've been writing bits and pieces of it, and the first chapter will hopefully be ready in about 6 months.

I would thank all of my reviewers, but since this site has prohibited thanking individual reviewers, I can't do much.

By the way, I've decided to make this fic go where I wanted it to head, this fic might be a bit longer than most other fics. You smart readers will probably figure out somewhat what's going on and what's in the mysterious file by the end of the chapter.

But here you go, the next chapter of what I call my most epic fic.

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Really and Truly

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Celestial Night

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You can only imagine how surprised Serenity Wheeler was when she saw this insect sticking to the window she was looking through.

Serenity was still contemplating about the fact that Téa had read her file. Thinking of this, Serenity gripped the file even more tightly betwixt her pale fingers. These days, Serenity felt as if the ones she could trust were diminishing slowly. And at this very thought, she heard a light thud on the window next to her.

She looked up and her eyes lowered. She was staring at the underside of the strangest insect she had ever seen. It had rich red antennae and beady little black eyes that jutted out at either sides of its head. It definitely did not seem like a creature native to this area.

Serenity tilted her head slightly and looked past the window, hoping for some sort of an explanation as to where this little thing came from. And then, yes, she saw _him._

Seto Kaiba had been lost with thoughts the moment he saw the bug land on _her _window. There she was, sitting so conveniently across the lane from him. And at the moment, she had no idea he was watching her. She was inspecting the bug, ogling at its antennae. A few moments later, her eyes darted outward, looking for the source of the creature, and that's when their eyes met.

Kaiba waved innocently through his window.

Serenity seemed to let out a small gasp and place her index and middle fingers on her lips as her eyes fell to the side. Was she sure that it was her boss? But then again, they _were_ a pair of icy blue eyes in a very shiny and polished limousine, the way Seto Kaiba liked his cars to be kept. She took in a deep breath and looked back up, and sure enough, he was still there waving, trying obviously to look cute.

She knew he wanted an answer, but she would not give him one. And now she couldn't even use the excuse that she was held up in traffic since he could still keep his eyes on her. She peered her head through the bus's aisle and realized that the hold up wouldn't stop anytime soon, and the thought of this _man_ so close to her sent goosebumps around her body. Now she really wished that she brought the sweater she had asked Téa for. She had no choice. She swiftly got up and ran through the bus's aisle.

Kaiba's eyes widened slightly as he watched her get up and run, hair flying like a brown ribbon, behind her. He knew she had left the bus. And since he didn't see her run past, he knew she went forward. He looked ahead at the Domino City Skyline, just a few mere miles away. And then his eyes rested on the most tallest and most prominent looking structure amidst the skyline. Serenity was running to KaibaCorp, a foolish thing to in Kaiba's mind.

"I'll just meet here there anyway," Kaiba almost laughed to himself as he spoke.

But after a few moments of the traffic remaining still, he got impatient. Then, he opened his door of the limo and stepped out.

"Sir?" The driver asked weakly.

"I think I'll walk today," Kaiba said sharply as he leaned in through the passenger side window. "And if you ever mistake my driving skills again, you'll be fired." Kaiba smirked as he pulled out of the window and walked through the crowded street. He got to the other side of the sidewalk and ran to the corner of the street. He looked up and down, and nowhere did a sign of Serenity Wheeler show.

He was frustrated; there were many possible routes to KaibaCorp she could've taken. But he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He would have time in the next few days to get her attention, he decided. Then he walked with a content disposition through the common people of Domino, unbeknownst to him that Serenity was planning to make sure she never saw Seto Kaiba again.

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Serenity ran through the park, a shortcut she often took when Joey refused to driver her to work. But this time, she felt as if she had partaken in a marathon, so she quickly glanced all around herself, and when she made sure the coast was clear, she made her way to the nearest bench and collapsed onto it.

Her breathing was becoming tight, most likely from the massive amount of running she had just done. She placed a hand over her heart as she tried to calm herself down.

"The mere sight of him made me feel…ugh…" She fanned herself with her file as she relaxed, knowing that soon she would have to start running again if she wanted to beat him to KaibaCorp. It was like she was playing an evil game of cat and mouse.

The heat was getting to her. She could feel it scratching on her legs…or leg, actually. Serenity noticed she only felt this strange sensation on one of her legs. She moved her fanning file which was blocking her view of her legs and nearly jumped.

On her left leg there was that bug. Not just any little mosquito or fly, that ugly bug Serenity had just seen sticking to her bus's window not ten minutes ago. And what's worse, she felt trace amounts of blood trickling from the spot where this bug had obviously bitten her.

Serenity jumped up and screamed. "Are you stalking me or something!" Her sudden outburst caused onlookers in the park to stare at her skeptically. Serenity tried to hide the huge sweat drop that had formed, as she feigned a laugh and started running again.

"Smart, Serenity. Now you made strangers think you're crazy," she mumbled as she ran on the park's path. But at the moment, what strangers thought about her was the least of her problems.

As long as she kept running, she'd bet him there…hopefully. All she needed to do was get that file in…that file…that file…

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"Of course, this comes as no surprise," Téa mused as she sat on her couch. Less than an hour ago Serenity had ran out of her house, angered. Téa had stolen a look at that file that Serenity was trying to hide so desperately. So why should Téa be so surprised that Serenity was mad at her?

The fact was, Téa was scared for her friend. There was little to do now, the spirit had found a host.

She picked up the remote from the tabletop in front of her. "Now, we wait." She turned on the TV and listened to the news report for the second time that day. She got bored after a few moments, so she started flipping through channels. At the very instant she flipped past a channel talking about ancient Egypt, her cell phone started vibrating against her belt buckle. Seeing that it was Yugi, Téa received the call and listened impatiently.

"Téa? You let Serenity out of the house?" Yugi's voice asked.

No answer.

"Téa?"

Still no answer.

Téa sniffled a little and then screamed into the receiver, "I hate you. I hate everything about you and that stupid necklace you wear around your neck!"

There was a moment of silence before Yugi spoke again. "I know that it hurts to find out about this power and who holds it."

"I'm not mad at _your_ power," she snapped while repressing more sniffles.

"I know."

A few tears slid down Téa's now-red cheeks as she asked, "Why her?"

"I don't know," Yugi--no, Yami, responded. "But all I know is this: The spirit never chooses wrong…For whatever reason, she was chosen, she'll be able to protect herself. This I can promise you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have a feeling," Yami responded. At the moment, Yami was standing in the park under a tree, watching the blur of Serenity race past him, she being too caught up to even notice him.

♥

♥

She made it, yes she made it. And there was no sign of Kaiba's limo anywhere!

These were the first thoughts swiveling in Serenity's mind as she raced past the glass doors of KaibaCorp.

The scent of papers filled her nose as she made her way to the lobby's secretary. The secretary winced at Serenity, for she had always been jealous of Serenity's position as the CEO's secretary.

Serenity seemed to have a smile formed permanently on her face. For a second, Serenity thought that there was one burden off of her shoulders. However, while she thought this, a sharp pain surged through her leg. She looked down and found a large welt had formed along the spot where the red beetle had bit her.

"May I help you?" The secretary asked Serenity the moment she saw Serenity's smile fade.

Momentarily ignoring the injury, Serenity gave the file to the secretary. The secretary greedily took the file and read it over, her eyes darting quickly.

"Oooohhhh, bad news, dear," the secretary said, donning a larger smile every second, "you'll have to give these to Mr. Kaiba yourself. He wants these handed in, _in person_."

"No," Serenity gasped. If he wanted the papers handed in in person, then what was the point of beating him here.

"I recommend you go to your office and wait until he comes in," The secretary explained.

"He hasn't come in yet?" Serenity asked as another large pain raced all the way up her body. This pain caused Serenity to bend a little as she grabbed her leg.

"You 'k?"

Serenity feigned a smile and nodded. Serenity looked at the elevators hopefully. Usually, there was always a large crowd waiting to use them, but today there was no one in sight.

"Oh, sorry again. Those elevators are broken today. Some repairmen are coming in later today to look at them." The lobby secretary never looked happier.

"But my office is on the top floor!" Serenity exclaimed as more pain climbed up her body.

"A little exercise never hurt anybody. Just take that double staircase to that door, and that door will lead you to the main staircases." The secretary pointed her finger to two large staircases, both meeting up to one door at the very center of the staircases' tops.

Serenity whined a little as she made her way over to the foot of one of the staircases. Little did she notice the heavy limp she had. Or perhaps she did notice it, but decided to push it to the back of her mind.

She grabbed the banister and moaned. There must have been at least thirty steps to climb, and each step felt like a little piece of heck for our limping girl. File clutched in her left hand, she clutched the banister with her right hand, forming a vice grip as she walked up the first few steps.

That bug, she knew it, must have injected her with some sort of toxin. Her eyes were becoming blurry with tears she never remembered forming.

Her leg cried out in pain on around the 25th step.

_Just a few steps more_.

She made it to the landing. Now all she had to do was climb about 100 more flights of steps.

Just as she made it to the doorway that lead to the rest of the staircases, a figure walked into KaibaCorp. He had just walked, among common folk, to his building in the heat, through streets smelling of smoke and smog and he stepped in some gum with his brand new black boots. He was not happy.

And why had he done it all?

Simple, to catch a young girl and get the answer he desperately needed.

And as he looked around his lobby, how convenient was it that she was right there, on the double staircases' landing?

Serenity had her back to the landing's banister, but her hands still reached behind her back to grab the railing. Her breathing was becoming heavier, and she could feel the file in her hand becoming moist with her sweaty palms.

"I…..need……help…….." She kept repeating that phrase as she wiped away the water making her forehead humid. Her eyes were barely open, and she knew she was going to faint any moment.

"Wheeler!" Kaiba barked from right under her. "Get down here! I need to talk to you immediately!"

"Not you…," Serenity panted.

Any moment….

He kept barking orders at her. Her head was throbbing more and more every second. Her leg was killing her with pain.

Any moment now….

She felt as if she were about to faint….

And she was…

All she remembered hearing was Kaiba's voice. She turned around, or so it looked. But in reality, she fell, right off the banister.

But all onlookers could do was gasp for a mere split second, for as soon as she fell, she plummeted right into her boss's arms.

Naturally, the great Seto Kaiba was used to handling many things. Business deals, dueling strategies, obnoxious clients, but never had he ever had to deal with catching a girl as soon as she fell off a twenty feet-off-the-ground landing. As soon as his body sensed her falling figure, his arms cupped so that she could land safely in his arms.

The onlookers/employees about to enter or leave the building looked at Seto Kaiba with amazement and clapped their hands and cheered for Kaiba. But all Kaiba could care about was the file Serenity was holding. It now lay on the floor, opened. Still holding Serenity, he was able to read the first few words of the paper, and he snapped his attention back to Serenity. He looked at her sleeping face, leaning back on the crook of his right arm, knowing that when she woke up, he would give Serenity a good talking to.

He, still carrying the heroine of this story, stomped on the file. That file and its contents, to Kaiba, never existed.

♥

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Wow, it didn't take me forever to complete this chapter! I feel so proud!

_I would say more, but I really have to get started on studying for my chemistry exam. So, here's the preview from the next chapter:_

**Preview:**

"Have a seat, Wheeler."

"No," she said once again, trying to back away from him as much as possible.

_Read and Review, please! And goodbye!_

-Celestial Night


	15. Contents Revealed

Yeah, I updated after like five months. _–Reviewers throw food at Celestial Night-_ Gomen! I've been so overloaded with schoolwork and trying to get "The Lottery" done by April so that "Talk of the Town" can come out. And then there's my Teen Titans Fic.

Seems like I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew, doesn't it? My fault. Please forgive me.

**Crimson Breeze:** Sorry for the long update. Umm…but thanks for reviewing!

**Landi McClellan: **I'm glad you liked the chapter! Thanks for the review!

**LazerWulf: **"Tootles" is gone. I think I grew out of it. And yes, I'm actually updating! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter! Thanks for taking the time to review!

**Losaye Maiden:** Your review was so sweet! Thanks so much! I'm so happy you think my stories are original! And I agree, Kisara is the smarter of Serenity's two minds. Unfortunately, Kisara isn't in this chapter. I decided to save her for really important/key roles to the story.

**Mysterious Mistress Kura:** I know! I thought the Seto catching her thing was cute, too! Thanks for reviewing!

**Sapphire Dragon:** You think my fic is a bit bitter than the Half-Blood Prince? Thank you! That was so sweet, although I cannot compare to J.K. Rowling. But I do believe that this fic is too…special (for a lack of a better word) than "I Wish I May". I can't explain it. It's just what I think. And as for Hamtaro, I am truly sorry, but Celestial Night won't be returning soon.

**SwordPrincess:** I'm glad you found my story again! Thanks for reviewing!

**Really and Truly**

**Celestial Night**

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_Contents Revealed_

Serenity's first sight upon waking up was seeing a lobby full of people breathing a sigh of relief. It took her a moment to realize what happened, and her vision immediately darted to the staircase.

'_Did I faint…again?'_ Serenity had to admit, that this ridiculous pattern of strange occurrences within her body was starting to get on her last nerves…But she decided to ignore the sudden sporadic activities of her body for the moment. What she was more concerned about was the fact that she had fallen a good story off of that staircase, and here she was, seated perfectly happily on the lobby's bench. Either she had mastered the agility of a cat mid-fall and landed on her feet—and yes, she knew better—or, someone had caught her.

She looked around the lobby. Amidst the crowd of people surrounding her, looking at her and repeatedly asking, "Are you alright?", there was a man kneeling beside her head. He had a black bag with him and a stethoscope around his neck.

Serenity tried to sit up, but the doctor pushed her back down. "I'm sorry, Miss Wheeler, but Mr. Kaiba informed me that this is the second time in two days that he's seen you faint," he explained, trying to keep his voice calm. "We were just about to take you to the hospital before you woke up."

Serenity nodded, having stopped listening after the words Mr. Kaiba. She suddenly remembered why she came here in the first place, and the feeling still sent the chills racing down her spine. He was the first person she remembered seeing and hearing before everything turned black.

_**Well, look at the bright side: Your last sight was pretty good looking!**_

Serenity shook her head. That voice was back! That stupid, persistent voice that appeared randomly, especially along the topics of her ludicrous boss. Serenity was now starting to have doubts about her own sanity.

"The file," Serenity said. Her eyes started darting nervously across the people around her. Nowhere in sight did she see the file she came in with, and now she was beginning to fear what would be a near-apocalyptic experience.

The secretary from the lobby pushed through the crowd of people. She carried an envelope in her hands and gave it to the doctor, who stood up and took the envelope. He read the contents over, meanwhile, Serenity sat up, completely ignoring the light headed feeling she was currently experiencing.

"Apparently, Miss Wheeler, Mr. Kaiba wants to see you in his office immediately," the doctor explained as he looked at Serenity curiously.

Seeing Kaiba was not something she wanted to do, especially after having fainted like a stupid damsel in distress into his arms. She cursed under her breath.

"Actually," she hated the scratchy voice sounded, "I'm not feeling too well." She cleared her throat. "I think I would just rather go home right now—"

"But," the lobby's secretary cut in, "he says he has some sort of important file just for you," she explained, traces of jealousy wavering in her voice.

Serenity's eyes fell to the ground.

_Oh man…_

Apocalypse was imminent.

♥

Apparently, Serenity had been out for nearly an hour and a half. In this time, the broken elevators (which she believed had indirectly caused her fall) had suddenly been fixed. Life was just grand that way…Now it meant that she would have to face her boss (on the top floor) in a matter of seconds rather than climb dozens of stories, which she was actually preferring at the moment.

True, the reason she had come into work this morning she had every intention on giving her boss the file. But she wanted to give it to him _in person_, not have him find it, a fact she was assuming had happened.

She was pressed against the elevator's wall and felt like every level the elevator ascended, the air got hotter and heavier. In a matter of a few, short-lived seconds, Serenity felt the swift breeze of the elevator's doors upon her as she stepped out of the machine. She wished she could faint again, just keel onto the floor without a second thought. At least that would give her _some_ time away from him.

Her office doors were already opened for her, so that time wasn't wasted in the retina scan.

But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Serenity saw the doors that led into his office and felt a weight fall into her stomach. She walked up to the doors and leaned her weight against one. _Here goes everything_. And the door swung open.

It was a nice, warm spring day but the air conditioning in the room felt like arctic winds blasting onto her fair skin. Apparently, Kaiba didn't mind. He sat up straight in his big executive chair, his eyes squinted in a furious manner. The file was on his desk, and Serenity's stomach groaned.

The girl had no idea, Kaiba thought. He asked her to do him a favor, and in turn, he would repay her tenfold. However, acting on a whim yet again, she decided to ignore his offer in the most horrid of ways. She never seemed like a coward to Kaiba. Naïve, yes. Slightly odd, definitely. But a coward? Her family had always been full of stubborn hardheads that were never willing to back down, even when the odds were pitifully against them.

He had never met a girl like her—and that was no compliment. She acted so randomly. Kaiba sometimes wondered if she herself knew what she was up to. And he had discovered all of this in the span of a few weeks! He could only imagine what he would learn should he have to spend more time with her!

Kaiba shook his head. Ra forbid anything like that ever happen.

"Everything alright, Mr. Kaiba?" Her voice broke the tension that Kaiba had so evilly built in the room. He might as well start explaining to her why he wanted to shake some sense into her little mind.

As his eyes locked on hers, she backed away.

"Sit."

"No," her feeble voice was truly pathetic in his mind.

"Have a seat, Wheeler."

"No," she said once again, trying to back away from him as much as possible.

"There's no need to dance around the topic. Sit. We need to talk."

_Nothing good ever starts after the words 'We need to talk',_ Serenity thought as she finally walked up the desk and took a seat. Before her body even touched the chair opposite to her boss, Kaiba shoved the file to her. Startled, Serenity immediately caught the papers before they fell.

"What is that?" He asked as his calm voice broke with anger. He watched her face turn slight shades of pink. Pink like soft, silky satin…He cringed. He didn't want to think that, but something was off when he felt her fall into his arms. He shrugged it off.

"Did you step on it?" She asked, pointing to a hardly visible shoe print across the papers in the file.

"Answer the question, Wheeler!"

"Resignation papers, Mr. Kaiba," she quickly supplied. This was enough to cause Kaiba to lean back in his chair.

"Now where in that little, little brain of yours did you think resigning was a way to avoid the offer I made to you?"

"Well, sir," her voice starting to sound aggravated, "the offer you made wasn't one I wanted to answer since I believed it to be ridiculous. I thought my resigning would surely give you the answer you so dearly desired." She leaned back in her chair as well.

"Since when was it so ridiculous? I need this deal, you need the money, what's the problem?" he stood up and towered over her figure.

Serenity stood up simultaneously, although her height was nothing compared to Kaiba's. Her cheeks started to become rosy, despite the freezing temperature in the room.

"Dammit, Kaiba! You asked me to be your wife!"

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Ok, I know, short chapter. But I like this new format. I think I'll write short chapters and then update more frequently.

**Preview:**

"But you still haven't given me your answer."

"That's because I'm still thinking about it."

"Which means you're not so quick to say no."

**End Preview**

Ok, please give me some form of feedback! I really need it since I want this story to places since I love it so much! Please tell me what I should fix, if anything seems ambiguous, etc. If everything feels right, please review anyway! I do love my reviews!

Please R/R!

-Celestial Night

By the way, for being so patient, I included the "I Wish I May" teaser.

_Serenity shook her head. "Never mind." And with that said, she started to walk away………_

_She reached the door to Tea's room and pulled on the doorknob. However, the doorknob suddenly burned her hand. She immediately pulled her hand away and looked at it. Sure enough, there were red burn marks all over the white skin of her hand. But amazingly, they were healing before her eyes: New skin was starting to form instantly over the burned skin._

_Serenity looked at Tea and Mai with confusion and was astonished when she saw Tea holding a red stick of some sorts that was pointed directly at the doorknob. _

"_Your gift of self healing has returned. That means you're starting your metamorphosis," Mai explained. She took a breath and stared at Serenity as if seeing her for the first time._

_Serenity's mouth dropped and her eyes were wide like a deer in headlights. "I-I don't follow. My metamorphosis into what?"_

"_Back into Shizuka!" Mai exclaimed._

"_Who?" The auburn-haired girl asked, completely lost._

"_Shizuka is your real name," Tea explained as her eyes got teary. "You're our cousin, a fairy."_

Long teaser, isn't it? I felt like being generous, so I copied and pasted this whole scene from the drafts of the future "I Wish I May" chapters.


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